Let me ask you a question. When you sing in church, do you ever think about the words your singing? I mean, do you ever stop and consider what it is exactly that you're saying. It may sound strange, but I find myself doing this a lot. So often I think we sing the same songs over and over that we really don't think about what we're saying.
"We stand and lift up our hands, cause the joy of the Lord is my strength." I look around. In fact, nobody has lifted their hands in the air, and most of us don't look terribly joyful. What an odd thing to say then.
"I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene." Really? I happen to be sitting at the moment, and am I really amazed, right now? What if we were forced to sing how we really feel. It might more accurately be "I sit, thinking about Colts football, in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, and wonder, how badly they'll beat the Seahawks, I hope the defense plays clean, singing how wonderful.....".
Now I know that songs and hymns are important, and I'm not saying we should stop singing them, we should praise God even when we may not feel like it. I just find myself asking "Do you mean it? I'm standing here singing praises to Almighty God, and have I thought about what I'm saying?"
Sometimes I think that growing up as a Christian has desensitized me a little bit to really how amazing it truly is. The things that are truly cosmic ideas have seemed ordinary at times. We hear them over and over again, and somehow we find that while singing about some of the most amazing events and truths in history, we're thinking about whether to go to Denny's or Cracker Barrel (by the way, it's Cracker Barrel, Momma french toast breakfast can't be beat). Somethings missing.
Sometimes Carter gets amazed by the most ordinary looked over things, and for a moment I'm reminded the snails are amazing, or that riding a bus is kinda fun. I love the fact that I can wink at Grant and pretty much blow his mind. I find myself enjoying things again through them. Things that somehow I forgot were so cool.
This is why I like hanging out with new Christians. Somehow many of the things that have grown to be mundane or "normal" , are still so vibrant and amazing for them. They in-turn remind me of that.
A few weeks ago we watched a video about God's love. Afterwords I was talking with a young lady from our group who told me, "I can't believe it's all true, I mean, when I think about it, I feel so lucky."
At the risk of warranting a good "stoning" let me admit to you that I don't always feel this way. God's "Love" and "Grace" are probably among the most preached on subjects in churches, we talk about it constantly. And sometimes it feels like my attitude is, "Yeah, God loves me. He kinda has too right, I mean, He IS Love. That's sort of his m.o. right? His grace is sufficient cause it has to be, and it's pretty cool that I don't need too much of it, I'm not a A-grade sinner."
But then I stop and think about the words of Amazing Grace. I hear the pure honesty and gratitude, and it reminds me that God's Grace IS truly amazing, mind-blowing in fact (and completely undeserved). I read David's words in Psalm 8:
"When I consider your Heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?"
and realize, just as the young lady reminded me, I am lucky, I am fortunate, I am amazed, I am blessed. Nothing about me is warranting of God's love. There's nothing I've done, or am that has earned it, or deserves it. Yet He would leave the 99 to find me.
I endeavor that I not let the awesome and amazing truths of God's word become diminished or common-place in my mind. I know who I am, and when I consider how He looks at me, and what he offers a "wretch like me", I realize that I'm luckiest person I know. My hope is that you are too.
It kinda makes me feel like singing.
-Jonathan
No comments:
Post a Comment