Thursday, June 26, 2008

Quietness

"It's all about you, Jesus
And all this is for you
For your glory and your fame
It's not about me
As if you should do things my way
You alone are God
And I surrender to your ways."


Lately things have been so noisy. Thoughts rush through my head, creating a constant stir. I am always moving it feels like, never sitting still, never just listening. Have you been somewhere like the middle of the forest and just stopped to listen? I feel like something always happens in my heart when I do this. Earlier tonight I found myself listening to soft piano music and just letting myself be at peace. I felt like writing a poem or sharing my heart with a close friend. I spent some quiet time in prayer and felt comforted by the Lord.
Why do I feel like I always have to have something going on? Why do I often avoid a quiet night alone? Lately I have been craving this quietness. The emptiness of constant social activity has made me long for time alone where I just listen and reflect. I love the song above because it seems to come from someone who has stopped in the midst of selfish and busy pursuits and is confessing that everything is about God and his glory. I find I am often blind to the selfishness of how I spend my time until I actually take the time to be quiet and reflect. The noise of the world drowns out the life-giving words of my Father. My heart grows cold and I don't long for my Father's presence, for His words, or for His holiness to become my own.

Lord, make heart quiet before you. Let me hear you voice. Let me see that everything is for your glory. I long for You and long for holiness.

"For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him."
Psalm 62:5

Monday, June 23, 2008

Dancing In God's Love


Ha, well I just finished dancing in my room for the first time in forever! I'm not sure what I was doing but I was sitting here in my room on the ship and put on some Passion hymns and somewhere in the middle of "O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing" I couldn't help but begin hopping around my room dancing and worshipping Jesus! I was wary though from a previous time I did this on the ship when I hit my head quite hard in the midst of my dancing. :) These words are so wonderful as they point to Jesus and exalt His power and glory!

O for a thousand tongues to sing
my dear Redeemer's praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace!

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease;
'tis music in the sinner's ears,
'tis life and health and peace.

He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
he sets the prisoner free:
his blood can make the foulest clean;
his blood availed for me.

He speaks; and, listening to his voice,
new life the dead receive,
the mournful broken hearts rejoice,
the humble poor believe.


No, but what hit me in the midst of my dancing was what I had learned recently from Charles Spurgeon which I quoted in one of my earlier posts. "No! never should we have had a grain of love towards God unless it had been sown in us by the sweet seed of His love to us." As I danced I couldn't help but smile and rejoice in His love as I realized that I would not even have been dancing if it was not for His love and the fact I was dancing right then was proof of His love for me. In fact, I really was dancing in His love! I have to tell you, it made me only smile and dance all the more! :)
I love the refrain that David Crowder adds to the hymn,

So come on and sing loud
let our anthem grow loud
there is one great love,
there is one great love, Jesus!!!!!


Yes, there is one and only one great love for us in Jesus. I want to keep dancing for him and not only that but I want to live for him, to preach His name, to bring glory to His name in whatever way He leads me!

Lord, let me dance in your love, share the Gospel in your love, talk to others in your love, sleep in your love, breathe in your love, and be forever humbled by your love in Jesus. May my dancing always be in the shadow of the cross and the grace that found me and continues to find me.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Bezalel

"Then Moses said to the people of Israel, 'See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all crafsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft."
Exodus 35:30-34

"And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people fo Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bring him freewill offerings every morning, so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, and said to Moses, 'The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.'"
Exodus 36:2-7


Bezalel gets atleast two chapters full of attention and yet I had never really heard of this man. Really it is the work that Bezalel did for the Lord and for Israel that got over two chapters of attention. There's something about this that I love and that resonates with me. I love how the Lord not only gives a command to Moses and the people but then the Lord takes initiative in stirring up the hearts of specific people and their gifts. And even people who didn't have artistic gifts gave freely of their gold and silver and wood and the craftsmen had more than enough to choose from and work with. I get such a sense of joy from this whole entreprise as the people of Israel are all stirred up by the Lord to give of their possessions, to give of themselves, to give of their gifts for the work and glory of the Lord.
It stirs up my own heart and I think, "What has the Lord called me to do? What is He stirring my heart to do? How can I give to others so that they can have more than an abundance with which to excercise their own gifts?" This reminds me of my prayers recently which have been along these lines. And what happened? The Lord answered my prayers. He said, "Patrick, make me your treasure in all things." Sure there were more questions at that point but I just have to walk forward with what He placed in my heart. And as I walk forward, I can see He is already opening doors for me to use my gifts and encourage others in using theirs.

I think it would be very easy to read all these chapters at the end of Exodus and get bored with all the intricate details of building and decorating the tabernacle. I think it helps to remember though that the people making all this stuff were stirred up by the Lord to use their gifts for Him and there is always such great joy in that. I think of how when I give gifts to family and friends. It is my love for them that stirs me to put time and money into their gift. I'm willing to make countless details fit together in order to communicate my love to them. It seems to be the same for the all these beautiful details in building the tabernacle all focused in one direction, the glory and beauty of the Lord! It's quite exciting when you actually think about it and imagine yourself in the midst of all the work being done.

Lord, show me how and stir my heart to be used for your glory. Use my gifts and let them be unclouded by my own pride and sin. Help me to to encourage others to use their gifts for your glory.

Monday, June 16, 2008

The Treasure Is You

The treasure is you, there is no other
The treasure is you, more than gold
Heaven and earth, they have lost their luster
You alone are the treasure that I hold.
-Meredith Andrews


I have been crying out lately for direction and purpose in my life. I want to be focused and purposeful in my steps each day. There are so many things that confuse me right now but I have cried out to the Lord honestly and made my heart known and will keep doing so. As I was driving last night I kept coming back to this song by Meredith Andrews called "Treasure". There are so many areas of my life where Christ is not my treasure. It seemed as if God was answering my prayers by saying, "Make me your treasure in all areas of your life and at all points throughout your day." Yes, I want this! I want Him to be my treasure. I know this will bring the most joy in my life. I'm so tempted even doing spiritual things to make other things my treasure. When reading my Bible, I tend to just want to hear from God and get some experience. The same happens when I worship at church. When I'm at church, a lot of times fellowship becomes my treasure instead of the Lord Himself. I make the blessings He gives me so often my treasure in the place of Him.

When I awake in the morning and read my Bible, the treasure is You.
When I go throughout my day at work, the treasure is You.
When I go to church, the treasure is not anything but You.
When I go to sleep at night, Lord, were you my treasure today or was it anything else?


Funny note, I wrote this journal entry while I was driving last night. It was so beautiful to be driving with the windows down and the sun setting. Also, Meredith Andrews' cd is really good if you like girl singers. I was really surprised by the lyrics especially. They are all really encouraging!
There are new mercies today and a treasure waiting for us in Jesus. :)

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Your Love Is Strong

I need a strong love. I crave such love in the bottom of my soul. I desire so badly to be loved strongly and to love strongly in return. I listened to Jon Foreman's song, "Your Love is Strong" recently and I have been singing the chorus over and over the past couple days. His love is strong! My love is weak and it falters and wavers when tested. His love is strong though. It remains consistent, stable, strong, and steadfast through everything that could possibly come in its' way. I have been asking God to teach me to love and He's teaching me that I have to get all my love from Him. I have no love of my own to give. Charles Spurgeon writes,

"How great the wonder that such as we should ever have been brought to love Jesus at all! How marvelous that when we had rebelled against Him, He should, by a display of such amazing love, seek to draw us back. No! never should we have had a grain of love towards God unless it had been sown in us by the sweet seed of His love to us. Love is an exotic; it is not a plant which will flourish naturally in human soil, it must be watered from above. Love for Jesus is a flower of a delicate nature, and if it received no nourishment but that which could be drawn from the rock of our hearts it would soon wither. As love comes from heaven, so it must feed on heavenly bread. It cannot exist in the wilderness unless it is fed by manna from on high. Love must feed on love. The very soul and life of our love for God is His love for us."

I love that image of the flower needing heavenly water. Now I know that if I'm ever to be able to love Jesus or others it is because of God's love for me. All of my love comes from Him. I want to drink of his love, to swim in it, and to have it consume my life! Jesus, your love is strong! Your is love is strong! Your love is strong! I love you so much but only, I know, because your first loved me. :) May I know your love strongly in my life so that I may love you strongly in return and pour out your love on others.

Friday, June 06, 2008

Love and Feelings

"But the great thing to remember is that, though our feelings come and go, His love for us does not. It is not wearied by our sin, or our indifference; and, therefore, it is quite relentless in its determination that we shall be cured of those sins, at whatever the cost to us, at whatever cost to Him." C.S. Lewis (1898-1963)

Lord, find me in my sin and indifference and teach me to love! Only you can love perfectly for you are love.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Psalm 139: His Right Hand

"Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me."
Psalm 139:7-9


Lord, I'm tempted to wonder whether I am really held firmly by your hand. Your Word reminds me that no matter where I am or whatever my circumstances, your right hand leads me and holds me. It is the hand of your sovereignty. Did I make a mistake or a decision that caused the hold of your hand to loosen? No, I know you hold me still! I'm tempted to think think that I must find my way back to You and do things to more firmly fix myself into your hand. Lord, I know you hold me and lead me still. Lord, I know I am full of sin and not worthy of your love and so I come to your table as a beggar in need of your grace. I have nothing and my worth amounts to nothing. I am in desperate need of a Savior! I need You or I have no hope of my own.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"
Psalm 139-23-24


Lead me, Lord, in the way everlasting. I know you promise you are with me always, not because I deserve you, but because you love me and died for me.

Monday, June 02, 2008

Morning and Evening

"What then my soul is best for you to do? First learn to be content with this divine order, and be willing, with Job, to receive evil from the hand of the Lord as well as good. Then study to make the morning dawns and evening fades call forth songs of joy. Praise the Lord for the sun of joy when it rises, and for the gloom of evening as it falls. There is beauty both in sunrise and sunset. Sing of it and glorify the Lord. Like the nightingale, pour forth your notes at all hours. Believe that the night is as useful as the day. The dews of grace fall heavily in the night of sorrow."
Charles Spurgeon


Lord, let me pour forth your notes at all hours! No matter what comes, Lord, let me fix my eyes on you and walk. How can I fear with you as my faithful Lord? Do I fear leaving friends and the comforts of my earthly home? You are my home, Lord. Do I fear hurt and pain coming to the heart of a beloved friend? Lord, you hold them in your hands sovereignly and care for them like I never could. My circumstances swirl around me and confuse me, making me feel out of His will. No matter how I feel and know matter what mistakes I have made though, I know that I am a sinner and I have a Savior! Praise the Lord for giving of himself for me! Praise the Lord for laying down his life for me! Oh, how I do not deserve such love! It is the reason I sing though! Lord, teach me ever more that I am a sinner and you are my Savior. Then I shall love you wholly and then I shall love others purely. Touch my lips with your saving grace and I will sing a song of your mercy and love.