I Will Follow, Chris Tomlin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ohvhmGSfxI)
Scripture: (from www.biblegateway.com)
John 21:15-22 (New King James Version)
Jesus Restores Peter
15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” 19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”
The Beloved Disciple and His Book
20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”
Philippians 2:1-16 (New King James Version)
Unity Through Humility
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
The Humbled and Exalted Christ
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Light Bearers
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. 14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
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The song Glorious Day by Casting Crowns was playing in my head as I opened my eyes. I thought about things that were going on in my life that I wanted to blog about related to that song, but I drifted back to sleep. Then I awoke with I Will Follow by Chris Tomlin having replaced the other song in my head’s playlist. Just as I was going to get up and blog about some things using that song, …The alarm went off and I woke up for real. I thought of the phrases, “life imitating art” and “art imitating life” as I realized I was dreaming about blogging. Guessed I’d better do it, so I got up and now here I am, blogging about dreaming about blogging. (Although I remember the songs from the dream, I don’t remember what I was going to write about them!!! So, I’ll see what comes out, and maybe even finish some others I’ve started…)
While I wasn’t sure when I went to bed where (or even if) I was to go to a church to worship today, I set my alarm just in case. As I write this, I think about what book of Romans says in 12:1 about “spiritual worship”:
Romans 12:1-6a (Amplified Bible)
1I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.
2Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
3For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him.
4For as in one physical body we have many parts (organs, members) and all of these parts do not have the same function or use,
5So we, numerous as we are, are one body in Christ (the Messiah) and individually we are parts one of another [mutually dependent on one another].
6Having gifts (faculties, talents, qualities) that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them:
[Okay – you know that I didn’t plan to have all of those verses from Romans, right? but I “fat-fingered” the ending verse, and ended up with verse 6 – guess that’s a confirmation that at least I needed to do some blogging today maybe, using my “gift” according to the grace given me?!]
Thinking about worship, thought of what I’d read recently about worship in David Needham’s book, Close to His Majesty: a road map to God [and it’s funny too, that the chapter to which I’m referring is called “GOD … WOW!”, and my last blog, which I wrote before I read that chapter in the book, had me going “wow”] …
Worship … is just as fitting when you hear the voice of God fulfilling your dreams … as it is when you feel His hand destroying them. It belongs in the midst of overwhelming joy as well as in overwhelming grief. … Worship is saying, “Wow!” to God … it is your automatic response out of your own utter smallness to a God too big … too awesome to grasp, bigger and more marvelous, too sovereign, too mysterious, too much beyond anything we can figure out. … Because God, rightly perceived, will always be a God too big. … Whatever we discover Him to be, He is far too big for us in our utter smallness to grasp. We can’t handle it. We weren’t made to handle it. We were made to worship.[ Made me think of the Chris Tomlin song, (You and I were) Made to Worship, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8KIQTc4L-8&feature=related]
Sometimes I fear, when God is working with me on something, that He is teaching me a lesson that I need to know because I am going to need it, and that the lesson is going to be hard, and the experience in which I will use what I learned will be undesirable. So, I don’t always want the lesson (like that will keep the “bad” thing away… I know, logic like that doesn’t make a lot of sense, huh?). But then it is as if He asks me, “If the ‘thing’ is going to happen anyway and you – or someone else - are going to need the knowledge from the lesson, wouldn’t you rather have the lesson beforehand so you will have what you need when you need it?” I guess so…
I was just thinking the other day about how I don’t like the hard lessons, but that they are sometimes what is needed – what I need. Case in point is when I got a ticket for a “rolling stop” at a stop sign. The officer wouldn’t give me a warning (they never do with me), so I try now to be more aware and careful to come to a complete stop at stop signs. It was at one of those complete stops where someone else speeded through their stop sign and my car would likely have been hit on the passenger side, where my child was sitting, had I done the “rolling stop” thingy. The question is: would I have been as careful to stop completely if the officer had only given me a warning, and I had not been inconvenienced and penalized – going to court, paying a fine, etc.? Maybe [ok, probably] not – maybe one day I’ll get to a point where a warning is enough…
Psalm 19:7-14 (Amplified Bible) – emphasis mine
7The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the [whole] person; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure and bright, enlightening the eyes.
9The [reverent] fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10More to be desired are they than gold, even than much fine gold; they are sweeter also than honey and drippings from the honeycomb.
11Moreover, by them is Your servant warned (reminded, illuminated, and instructed); and in keeping them there is great reward.
12Who can discern his lapses and errors? Clear me from hidden [and unconscious] faults.
13Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then shall I be blameless, and I shall be innocent and clear of great transgression.
14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, impenetrable] Rock and my Redeemer.
Lord, please let this be true of me:
Psalm 119:11 (Contemporary English Version)
11I treasure your word above all else; it keeps me from sinning against you.
… and my journey with Him continues …
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