Is anyone else asking "hey, what's going on?"
The middle east is erupting with reports of massive brutality and crimes committed against people because of what they believe. Among these people are many who heard the message of Jesus in a land hostile towards Christians and still answered the call, answered Christ's question "Who do you say I am?" the same way Peter did: "You are the messiah."
Frankly, the news we are hearing is heartbreaking. My heart has been burdened heavily by the thought of men, women and children attacked, murdered and forced to flee because they claim the name of Christ. I've stopped in my tracks the past few days, grieving for mothers who've lost their children, families torn apart. I'm devastated my children have to learn the word "genocide." I've wondered what creates such brutal fanaticism. I've searched God, asking "why" but also pondering the glory of heaven for a new generation of martyrs.
I've also thought a lot about how we so callously take for granted that we can practice our religion (whatever that may be) here in the US, and even more so how disrespectful so many are in terms of our faith. We treat following Jesus as an afterthought, a one day a week thing, when others die for what we toss aside or treat as self-help so we can feel good about ourselves.
Too much thinking can leave one feeling a bit low on hope.
Thank you Lord, for a worship song, a treadmill and a sunrise over Scheels Arena.
This morning I was at the gym pondering the sadness of the past few days when Matt Redman's "Jesus, Only Jesus" came on my IPod. As I listened to the words of this worship song, the sun began to creep over a building across the way, and I thought of the sunrise over the desert in the Middle East. The collision of music and a dawn of a new day left me feeling peace for the first time in a few days. The lyrics are so powerful, and in light of the chaos and trouble in the world, they are filled with hope and power. Hope and power, strength and praise. Most of all they are filled with a bold proclamation of who we worship. I've linked the song below, but here are the lyrics:
Who has the power to raise the dead?
Who can save us from our sin?
He is our hope, our righteousness
Jesus, only Jesus
Who can make the blind to see?
Who holds the keys that set us free?
He paid it all to bring us peace
Jesus, only Jesus
Holy, King almighty Lord
Saints and angels all adore
I join with them and bow before
Jesus, only Jesus
Who can command the highest praise?
Who has the name above all names?
You stand alone, I stand amazed
Jesus, only Jesus
Holy, King almighty Lord
Saints and angels all adore
I join with them and bow before
Jesus, only Jesus
Somewhere - maybe next to me on the treadmill, across the country in the midst of pain and loss, or in the Middle East with no certainty of what the next hour will hold - people of all races, people of every tongue, tribe and nation are confessing these words. Not because they have to, but because Jesus is more than a fairy tale, good man, or prophet. Not because they are forced to bow to another God, but because they found hope the world could not offer, experience peace that is not of this world, and understand that being raised from the dead starts the moment one realizes Jesus breaks into our lives and rescues us. Praise God, Amen and Amen.
I don't even know what to pray for today, how to pray, or what else to do to help. But I can tell you one thing for sure: considering these words and knowing that in the midst of shadows, putting your faith in a God that receives heartfelt reverence and worship in songs like these gives me joy and peace. As they say "earth has no sorrow that heaven can't heal..." How true. I think of those now standing in God's presence, standing amazed at the sight of their savior, Jesus. Only Jesus. How true indeed.
Please: continue to pray for all people around our world who live under persecution and the threat of death. Pray for the many who have lost their lives. Pray Christians in the West will start/continue living like the Jesus of the bible, not the one we've constructed. And perhaps, pray you too will be so captured by grace that losing your life today means finding it in Christ.
The middle east is erupting with reports of massive brutality and crimes committed against people because of what they believe. Among these people are many who heard the message of Jesus in a land hostile towards Christians and still answered the call, answered Christ's question "Who do you say I am?" the same way Peter did: "You are the messiah."
Frankly, the news we are hearing is heartbreaking. My heart has been burdened heavily by the thought of men, women and children attacked, murdered and forced to flee because they claim the name of Christ. I've stopped in my tracks the past few days, grieving for mothers who've lost their children, families torn apart. I'm devastated my children have to learn the word "genocide." I've wondered what creates such brutal fanaticism. I've searched God, asking "why" but also pondering the glory of heaven for a new generation of martyrs.
I've also thought a lot about how we so callously take for granted that we can practice our religion (whatever that may be) here in the US, and even more so how disrespectful so many are in terms of our faith. We treat following Jesus as an afterthought, a one day a week thing, when others die for what we toss aside or treat as self-help so we can feel good about ourselves.
Too much thinking can leave one feeling a bit low on hope.
Thank you Lord, for a worship song, a treadmill and a sunrise over Scheels Arena.
This morning I was at the gym pondering the sadness of the past few days when Matt Redman's "Jesus, Only Jesus" came on my IPod. As I listened to the words of this worship song, the sun began to creep over a building across the way, and I thought of the sunrise over the desert in the Middle East. The collision of music and a dawn of a new day left me feeling peace for the first time in a few days. The lyrics are so powerful, and in light of the chaos and trouble in the world, they are filled with hope and power. Hope and power, strength and praise. Most of all they are filled with a bold proclamation of who we worship. I've linked the song below, but here are the lyrics:
Who has the power to raise the dead?
Who can save us from our sin?
He is our hope, our righteousness
Jesus, only Jesus
Who can make the blind to see?
Who holds the keys that set us free?
He paid it all to bring us peace
Jesus, only Jesus
Holy, King almighty Lord
Saints and angels all adore
I join with them and bow before
Jesus, only Jesus
Who can command the highest praise?
Who has the name above all names?
You stand alone, I stand amazed
Jesus, only Jesus
Holy, King almighty Lord
Saints and angels all adore
I join with them and bow before
Jesus, only Jesus
Somewhere - maybe next to me on the treadmill, across the country in the midst of pain and loss, or in the Middle East with no certainty of what the next hour will hold - people of all races, people of every tongue, tribe and nation are confessing these words. Not because they have to, but because Jesus is more than a fairy tale, good man, or prophet. Not because they are forced to bow to another God, but because they found hope the world could not offer, experience peace that is not of this world, and understand that being raised from the dead starts the moment one realizes Jesus breaks into our lives and rescues us. Praise God, Amen and Amen.
I don't even know what to pray for today, how to pray, or what else to do to help. But I can tell you one thing for sure: considering these words and knowing that in the midst of shadows, putting your faith in a God that receives heartfelt reverence and worship in songs like these gives me joy and peace. As they say "earth has no sorrow that heaven can't heal..." How true. I think of those now standing in God's presence, standing amazed at the sight of their savior, Jesus. Only Jesus. How true indeed.
Please: continue to pray for all people around our world who live under persecution and the threat of death. Pray for the many who have lost their lives. Pray Christians in the West will start/continue living like the Jesus of the bible, not the one we've constructed. And perhaps, pray you too will be so captured by grace that losing your life today means finding it in Christ.
| | Published on Mar 15, 2013 Music video by Passion performing Jesus, Only Jesus (feat. Matt Redman) [Lyrics]. (P) (C) 2013 sixstepsrecords/Sparrow Records. |
