“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.…When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross! And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” – Colossians 2:8, 13-14
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” – James 4:7-8
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:21
Last night, a small group of women gathered in a dimly light room in a church in Richmond. I was there. Just down the hall an Alcohol Anonymous meeting was also being held. In the quiet of that space, the Lord came close.
We had been prompted earlier in the day by the young woman who spearheaded this prayer force that we would spend part of the evening in confession and repentance. It put me to thinking on what in my life needed confessing and repented of.
We each poured our hearts out to a faithful Father, who is ever ready to forgive, restore, and empower us to walk the way of Christ. My confessions centered on the struggle with keeping my eyes on Him and trusting Him in the complications of life. I confessed a lack of love and a timidity that keeps me from sharing Christ. I also prayed against the things that stand in the way of my focusing on Him, of surrendering wholly to Him. Those idols and counterfeit gods that steal us away from being near to the Lord.
It was a tender time of prayer, talking to God and listening to these other precious women doing the same. We prayed beyond our own need for forgiveness but also for our neighbors and our nation. For the world. For those in our lives most vulnerable to Satan’s arrows in hard marriages and hospital beds.
We sang a song together as part of our gathering. This time I didn’t know the song, but it was perfect for our time together. It was Make Room by a group called The Church Will Sing. In a way it is audacious that we have to “make room” for the Creator of this world to do what He wants to do in our lives. Yet, He doesn’t push in. He is close but waits for us to open the door to our hearts for Him to come in and change everything! Hallelujah!
[Verse 1] Here is where I lay it down Every burden, every crown This is my surrender This is my surrender Here is where I lay it down Every lie and every doubt This is my surrender
[Chorus] And I will make room for You To do whatever You want to To do whatever You want to And I will make room for You To do whatever You want to To do whatever You want to, oh
[Verse 1] Here is where I lay it down Every burden, every crown This is my surrender This is my surrender Here is where I lay it down Every lie and every doubt This is my surrender
[Chorus] And I will make room for You To do whatever You want to To do whatever You want to, Jesus And I will make room for You, for You To do whatever You want to To do whatever You want to Oh, I will make room for You, Jesus To do whatever You want to To do whatever You want to Oh, I will make room for You To do whatever You want to To do whatever You want to, Jesus
[Spontaneous] Have Your way, have Your way, Jesus, oh We surrender all, we surrender all, Jesus Have Your way, Jesus, have Your way, Jesus
[Bridge] Shake up the ground of all my tradition Break down the walls of all my religion Your way is better Oh, Your way is better Shake up the ground of all my tradition Break down the walls of all my religion Your way is better, Jesus Oh, Your way is better Shake up the ground of all my tradition Break down the walls of all my religion Your way is better, Jesus Your way is better Shake up the ground of all my tradition Break down the walls of all my religion Your way is better Oh, Your way is better
[Chorus] And I will make room for You To do whatever You want to To do whatever You want to And I will make room for You To do whatever You want to To do whatever You want to, oh
[Verse 2] Here is where I lay it down You are all I’m chasing now This is my surrender This is my surrender Here is where I lay it down You are all I’m chasing now This is my surrender This is my surrender*
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled… – Matthew 2:1-3a
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” – Isaiah 60:1-3
The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One…[Then He rebuked them] “I have installed My King on Zion, upon My holy mountain.” I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by the LORD: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father. Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession.” –Psalm 2:2, 6-8
The celebration of Christmas 2025 actually draws out to January 6, 2026. 12 days of Christmas climaxing on Epiphany, or Three Kings Day. We are reminded of the kings (wise men) who searched out the young child Jesus.
Jesus, only begotten Son of God, born King of the Jews…and King of Kings.
King Herod – one of the “kings of the earth” – serving his own ego, threatened by the news of King Jesus, responsible for the deaths of all those boys under the age of two, in his attempt to kill Jesus.
the Magi (Wise Men) who sought the prophesied birth of a king, following a star, until they found Jesus and worshiped him.
I personally love the 12 Days of Christmas which actually end on Epiphany (January 6). The parties and gifts are finished, and in the quieter days afterward, reflection is easier to come by. David Crowder even talks about this in one of his live albums.
These kings who did the work of study and watching for signs were rewarded by an actual visit with the Savior. They traveled a long way to see him, even altering their return visit to avoid betraying him to another king…Herod. We don’t know when, for sure, that they visited the Christ child. Their bringing gifts came just at the time, when resources were needed for the flight to Egypt to avoid evil King Herod’s wrath on the Christ child.
How thankful we are to God for these persevering, worshipful Eastern kings!
How thankful we are also when we see the hardships caused by modern-day King Herods. We know from Scripture that the reigns of these kings of the earth will come to an end.
In Revelation, the Apostle John wrote about the New Jerusalem where we hear one final time about “the kings of the earth”.
“I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp. By its light the nations will walk, and into it the kings of the earth will bring their glory…And into the city will be brought the glory and honor of the nations. “ – Revelation 21:22-24, 26
As we celebrate the last day of Christmas 2025, a beautiful concert came to mind. In the performance of Saviour, we are reminded of (ok…not of the kings who visited the Christ child…but) the kings of the earth. Those rulers and authorities who wage war against the Kingdom of God. We are reminded that their days are numbered. Hallelujah!
May we reflect Epiphany – and those ancient Magi – seeking and receiving the Savior and celebrating the forever rule of the King of all Kings.
[Saviour – written/created by Bob Farrell & Greg Nelson]
The kings of the earth and the kingdoms built by man Rise up in their glory then go back to dust again The kings of the earth who rule with might and power Will bend their knee to God when time concludes its final hour That day will come
The kings of the earth and their power to rule the land Was founded by the Lord in His covenant with man But the kings of the earth would make their own decree They set themselves above their God and His authority They mocked their God
Their empires feed upon the souls of men And their lust for power becomes their sacrament They rail the people with their cries of peace But there is no peace
The kings of the earth and the kingdoms built by man Rise up in their glory then go back to dust again But The kings of the earth who rule with might and power Will bend their knee to God when time concludes its final hour That day will come
Take heart, ye children of the Promise For God will not be mocked For the Lord will repay, and His Kingdom remains
Blessed are His children. Blessed are His covenants Blessed is His mighty Kingdom And blessed is the Name of the Lord
Blessed the name of Lord Blessed the name of Lord In power, in glory His Kingdom, His Kingdom will come! His Promise is now and forever and ever Amen!
Blessed is the name of the Lord! O, blessed is the name of the Lord!*
Below is the performance of Saviour with Wintley Phipps as special guest. The last song in Part 1 is The Kings of the Earth. So powerful!! Part 2 is found here.
And lastly, just for the pleasure of this song: “My Heart Belongs to You” from Saviour – a duet with Wintley Phipps and Larnelle Harris. Whew!
Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food? But here I am, starving to death!‘ — Luke 15:17
And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. – Luke 15:20-24
After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” – Revelation 7:9-10
Coming home. Whatever our situation might be, hopefully that phrase has a comforting ring. In my youth and early adulthood, “coming home” felt very much like the prodigal son’s experience in the Scripture above. My parents were always welcoming and delighted in my arrival. I knew unconditional love from them which helped me understand how much the Lord loves us. Some of us don’t have that experience with our earthly parents. So painful and wrong. Generations of families where performance was demanded to receive love. Not at all what we experience in God’s Kingdom.
As we near the holidays in America, our sense of home is stirred up – in positive and sometimes negative ways. I’ve written about the sweetness of Thanksgivings past. They weren’t perfect given our own imperfections, but they gave a glimpse of the One Day when our homecoming will be something altogether other-worldly.
The first time I heard Bethel Music‘s song “Homecoming” was this past Sunday during worship at Movement Church. Unlike the video below with a huge worship band and a packed house, we were led by a 5-member praise team who still brought the house down in my heart. Not in any kind of performative sense, but in the lyrics and beauty of melody and harmony – telling the story of our welcome Home to Heaven.
None of us deserve such a homecoming. Sin has darkened our way Home. Yet, because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, He has given us the way, and we are confident in Him. Just like with the prodigal, we know our way Home, and we are headed there – a little closer each day.
What an amazing thought – to be rejoined with our dearest family who have gone before us. To be greeted by the saints of old. To look, finally, into the very eyes of Jesus – the One who gave His all so that we might become sons and daughters of the Father. Whew! Hallelujah!
We live in the present with our eyes on the future, and yet, we also plant ourselves in this season of homecoming – to show the Father’s love in both easy and complicated situations. To experience His “welcome Home” in those quiet moments of reveling in Him alone. When boundaries are required to get through the holidays, take hope that the day will come when they will no longer be necessary.
Lord, I confess That I’ve been a criminal I’ve stolen Your breath And sang my own song And Lord, I confess That I’m far from innocent These shackles I wear Oh, I bought on my own
These scarlet sins had a crimson cost You nailed my debt to that old rugged cross An empty slate, at the empty grave Thank God that stone was rolled away
Lord, I confess I’ve been a prodigal Made for Your house But I walked my own roads Then Jesus came He tore down my prison walls Death came to life When He called me by name
Scarlet sins had a crimson cost You nailed my debt to that old rugged cross An empty slate, at the empty grave Thank God that stone was rolled Scarlet sins had a crimson cost You nailed my debt to that old rugged cross An empty slate, at the empty grave Thank God that stone was rolled away
And I can see it now Smiling in Heaven, You and I, You and I
And I see bright, crimson robes draped over the ashes A wide, open tomb where there should be a casket The children are singing, and dancing, and laughing The Father is welcoming This is our homecoming Roses in bloom pushed up from the embers Our rivers of tears flow from good times remembered Families are singing, and dancing, and laughing The Father is welcoming This is our homecoming Heaven joins in with a glorious sound And the great cloud of witnesses all gather ’round ‘Cause the ones that were lost are finally found The Father is welcoming This is our homecoming
Scarlet sins had a crimson cost You nailed my debt to that old rugged cross An empty slate, at the empty grave Thank God that stone was rolled
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh The Father is welcoming This is our homecoming Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh The Father is welcoming This is our homecoming
Can you see it now? Standing on the shores of Heaven You and I, and our families Singing, and dancing, and laughing There’s truly no place like home Yeah Jesus, You’re so beautiful Haha, see Him face to face Can we sing that bridge together one last time? “I see bright, crimson robes”
I see bright, crimson robes draped over the ashes A wide, open tomb where there should be a casket The children are singing, and dancing, and laughing The Father is welcoming This is our homecoming Roses in bloom, they pushed up from the embers Our rivers of tears flow from good times remembered Families are singing, and dancing, and laughing (Let’s go) The Father is welcoming (Come on) This is our homecoming And Heaven joins in with a glorious sound And the great cloud of witnesses all gather ’round ‘Cause the ones that were lost are finally found The Father is welcoming This is our homecoming
Scarlet sins had a crimson cost You nailed my debt to that old rugged cross An empty slate, at the empty grave Thank God that stone was rolled
Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh The Father is welcoming This is our homecoming*
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” – Luke 2:14
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this. – Isaiah 9:6-7
Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah. Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. – Psalm 4:4-5, 8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you. Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! – Psalm 32:8-11
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” – Romans 12:17-19
[From the Archives: One week ago this morning, I woke to the results of the 2024 US presidential election. Before going to bed in the early hours of today, I prayed, wanting to trust the outcome to Him. Wanting to believe Him for whatever direction our country would go. Affirming that the Scripture validates that He is sovereign, and we are in His care.]
October is near, and in our home, it begins the season of Christmas music. So many beautiful anthems to the glory of God – the month of December is not enough to listen, sing, and meditate on the message of these words written by inspired authors and composers.
As this week has unfolded around our nation, social media and news outlets are filled with a range of both shock and jubilation. Of fear and relief. We continue a nation divided…for now. May the church not be a vessel of division…but an instrument of God’s peace.
In December, 1863, American poet and scholar Henry W. Longfellow received his wounded son home from battle. It was Christmas time, and the U.S. Civil War raged on. Having already lost his wife years earlier, Longfellow nursed his son, Charley, back to health. His own thoughts, in turmoil over all that was happening around him, he poured out in the poem “Christmas Bells”.
Longfellow clearly took comfort from God as he wrote, ending the poem with this stanza:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men.”*
I Heard the Bells is a Christmas carol, not a worship anthem. Yet, given the continuing wars of our day, and the politics surrounding them, we must tend the fires of our hope. God is the “lifter of our heads” (Psalm 3:3). He is the One who gives strength to our “weak hands and shaking knees” (Isaiah 35:3). He will do as He’s promised. He is faithful. When you hear the bells ring where you are in the wake of this past week, and as Christmas looms in weeks ahead, take heart in that. We must continue to pray for His peace on earth. We can be vessels of His good-will toward our neighbors, both near and far away.
Leaning into “the right [to] prevail” is where we stand, as Christ-followers. Straight and resolute in our understanding of God’s intentions and His movement in our world. We can resist and refuse to add to the noise of hopelessness and cynicism in this world. We bend our hearts to hear the voice of God speak through the chaos…speaking the peace that only He can bring…through our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. We can speak that peace to our neighbor – the truth wrapped in His love.
I heard the bells on Christmas day Their old familiar carols play And mild and sweet their songs repeat Of peace on earth good will to men
And the bells are ringing (Peace on Earth) Like a choir they’re singing (Peace on Earth) In my heart I hear them Peace on earth, good will to men
And in despair I bowed my head There is no peace on earth I said For hate is strong and mocks the song Of peace on earth, good will to men
But the bells are ringing (Peace on Earth) Like a choir singing (Peace on Earth) Does anybody hear them? Peace on earth, good will to men
Then rang the bells more loud and deep God is not dead, nor doth He sleep (Peace on Earth, peace on Earth) The wrong shall fail, the right prevail With peace on earth, good will to men
Then ringing singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day A voice, a chime, a chant sublime Of peace on earth, good will to men
And the bells they’re ringing (Peace on Earth) Like a choir they’re singing (Peace on Earth) And with our hearts we’ll hear them Peace on earth, good will to men
Do you hear the bells they’re ringing? (Peace on Earth) The life the angels singing (Peace on Earth) Open up your heart and hear them (Peace on Earth) Peace on earth, good will to men
Peace on earth, Peace on earth Peace on earth, Good will to men*
Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord…And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” – Luke 2:10-11, 13-14
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this. – Isaiah 9:6-7
One week ago this morning, I woke to the results of the 2024 US presidential election. Before going to bed in the early hours of today, I prayed, wanting to trust the outcome to Him. Wanting to believe Him for whatever direction our country would go. Affirming that the Scripture validates that He is sovereign, and we are in His care.
As the week has unfolded around our nation, social media and news outlets are filled with a range of both shock and jubilation. Of fear and relief. We continue a nation divided…for now. May the church not be a vessel of division…but an instrument of God’s peace.
In December, 1863, American poet and scholar Henry W. Longfellow received his wounded son home from battle. It was Christmas time, and the U.S. Civil War raged on. Having already lost his wife years earlier, Longfellow nursed his son, Charley, back to health. His own thoughts, in turmoil over all that was happening around him, he poured out in the poem “Christmas Bells”.
Longfellow clearly took comfort from God as he wrote, ending the poem with this stanza:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men.”*
I Heard the Bells is a Christmas carol, not a worship anthem. Yet, given the continuing wars of our day, and the politics surrounding them, we must tend the fires of our hope. God is the “lifter of our heads” (Psalm 3:3). He is the One who gives strength to our “weak hands and shaking knees” (Isaiah 35:3). He will do as He’s promised. He is faithful. When you hear the bells ring where you are in the wake of this election and as the Christmas season dawns, take heart in that. We must continue to pray for His peace on earth. We can be vessels of His good-will toward our neighbors, both near and far away.
Listening for “the right [to] prevail” is where we stand, as Christ-followers. Straight and resolute in our understanding of God’s intentions and His movement in our world. We can resist and refuse to add to the noise of hopelessness and cynicism in this world. We bend our hearts to hear the voice of God speak through the chaos…speaking the peace that only He can bring…through our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
I heard the bells on Christmas day Their old familiar carols play And mild and sweet their songs repeat Of peace on earth good will to men
And the bells are ringing (Peace on Earth) Like a choir they’re singing (Peace on Earth) In my heart I hear them Peace on earth, good will to men
And in despair I bowed my head There is no peace on earth I said For hate is strong and mocks the song Of peace on earth, good will to men
But the bells are ringing (Peace on Earth) Like a choir singing (Peace on Earth) Does anybody hear them? Peace on earth, good will to men
Then rang the bells more loud and deep God is not dead, nor doth He sleep (Peace on Earth, peace on Earth) The wrong shall fail, the right prevail With peace on earth, good will to men
Then ringing singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day A voice, a chime, a chant sublime Of peace on earth, good will to men
And the bells they’re ringing (Peace on Earth) Like a choir they’re singing (Peace on Earth) And with our hearts we’ll hear them Peace on earth, good will to men
Do you hear the bells they’re ringing? (Peace on Earth) The life the angels singing (Peace on Earth) Open up your heart and hear them (Peace on Earth) Peace on earth, good will to men
Peace on earth, Peace on earth Peace on earth, Good will to men*
“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or in dread of them [your enemies], for the LORD your God is the One who is going with you. He will not desert you or abandon you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:35-39
Thanks to a good friend whose husband had to work, I had the joy of attending the Brandon Lake “Coat of Many Colors” tour. The whole night was a worshipful, joy-infused, God-glorifying experience, shared with hundreds of other folks. I am a new follower of Brandon Lake’s music and thank God for him, the lyrics he writes, and his sheer delight performing on stage. No…performing isn’t the word. More leading worship. He told us that night, “You’ve come to church!” It was a beautiful and awe-inspiring time.
He brought along fellow singer/songwriter Leeland who brought the song Waymaker to the world’s attention.Sinach, a Nigerian singer/worship leader had written the song, and Leeland recognized the important message this song. So fun to sing this song with him that night (only thing that would have been better would have been Sinach being there herself).
The other singer Brandon brought to us was the northern Irish singer/songwriter Benjamin William Hastings. Now, this points to Brandon’s lack of ego in sharing the stage with so much talent. He wanted us all to be able to worship the Lord without personalities getting in the way.
I didn’t know Benjamin W. Hastings, thinking Brandon was giving him an introduction to an American audience. I was so wrong. [Have a listen to this playlist.] He was one of the songwriters on “So Will I”.
All that to say, it was an incredible night of worship – full of beauty, joy, amazement, humility, and God at the absolute center.
Now back to “abandoned”. We think of it in the negative, right? So thankful God will never abandon His children. Hastings uses this word in a different way:
“Abandoned” was actually written by Brandon Lake. He and Hastings swapped a couple of songs, both of which will be released in 2024. You will hear Brandon’s heart in this song, but you will also hear Benjamin’s. You can imagine what it was like to be there that night…a brand-new song, one with which we had no emotional attachment (yet). A song we immediately bonded to because of Jesus.
The message of this song is my heart-cry. So grateful for the indescribable gift of Christ. The unspeakably precious gift we have from God – Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!
Worship with me [a clip from one of the Coat of Many Colors concerts – song isn’t released until 2024]:
Look, something isn’t adding up This wild exchange you offer us
I gave my worst, you gave Your blood Seems hard to believe So You’re telling me you chose the cross You’re telling me I’m worth that much And if that’s the measure of Your love How else would I see
[Chorus] But completely, deeply, sold-out, sincerely abandoned I’m completely, freely, hands-to-the-ceiling enamored My one-life endeavor To match Your surrender To mirror not my will but Yours I’m completely, deeply, don’t-carе-who-sees-me abandoned
[Interlude] I surrendеr all
[Verse 2] Oh, only You’d have thought it up This wild arithmetic of love ‘Cause none but You would count the cost And find us worth the pain One final breath upon the cross Until the one that woke You up So now I’ll breathe with every breath I’ve got ‘Cause like the air in the grave
[Chorus] I’m completely, deeply, sold-out, sincerely abandoned I’m completely, freely, hands-to-the-ceiling enamored My one-life endeavor to match Your surrender To mirror not my will but Yours I’m completely, deeply, I-don’t-care-who-sees-me abandoned
[Interlude] Oh, I surrender all I surrender all Oh, I surrender all Oh
[Bridge] All of my heart The best of my soul This phase of my life This breath in my lungs Consider it Yours, Lord Consider it Yours, Lord
The failures I hide The victories I don’t The battles I fight Each crown that I hoard Consider it Yours, Lord Consider it Yours, Lord
The plans that I’ve made These dreams of my own Take the best of my will But if one will be done Consider it Yours, Lord Consider it Yours, Lord
The glory forever The grave that You won The praise of the heavens The kingdom to come Consider it Yours, Lord Consider it Yours
[Chorus] ‘Cause I’m completely, deeply, sold-out, sincerely abandoned I’m completely, freely, hands-to-the ceiling enamored My one-life endeavor to match Your surrender To mirror not my will but Yours I’m completely, deeply, I-don’t-care-who-sees-me abandoned
[Interlude] Oh, I surrender all
[Chorus] My one-life endeavor To match your surrender To mirror not my will but Yours I’m completely, deeply, sold-out, sincerely abandoned
Advent means “coming”. We celebrate the coming of Christ, as Messiah, a helpless baby born of a virgin mother. God in arms. Miracle and mystery. Advent also commemorates the coming again of Christ in the last days. We look with hope to the day He will come again for His people, as Redeemer King.
Advent is a time of preparing our hearts for His coming – we light candles to remind us how Jesus’ birth brought light into a dark world. Celebrating Advent happens over the four Sundays before Christmas. The candles we light represent Christ’s gifts to us: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. A fifth candle is lit on Christmas Eve celebrating Jesus, the One who came for us.
[Our current favorites for this Advent]
What the practice of Advent does is to keep Christ central in all the busyness of Christmas.
Those Sunday advent worship gatherings lead us then to continue in the Word through each week, focused, in particular, on the wonder of God coming so near to us…humbling Himself to enter this human space as an infant…to awaken us to who He was and is and grasp what only He could fully bring to us.
In celebrating the joy and peace we have in Advent, anticipating Christ’s coming, we look to the blessing Paul wrote to the Roman church which, at the time, was enduring terrible suffering.
May the God of HOPE fill you with all joy and peace, in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in HOPE. – Romans 15:13
Let’s rest in Christ’s beautiful word to us. Focusing on all the other stuff of Christmas can be exhausting…and sometimes unsatisfying. Keeping Christ as center is where we experience his hope, peace, joy and love.
This Christ who drew near to us in a humble creche and held nothing back from us, even in His death on a cross. Oh the love, the joy, the hope and peace, we have in Him. Hallelujah!
[Below are images of the Women’s Christmas Event, celebrating Advent, at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia. We were surrounded by beauty and loving hospitality in this experience.]
Lord Jesus, Master of both the light and the darkness, send Your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas. We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day. We who are anxious about many things look forward to Your coming among us. We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of Your kingdom. We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence. We are your people walking in darkness, yet seeking the light. To You we say, “Come, Lord Jesus!” Amen. – Henri J. M. Nouwen
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” – James 4:8a
“Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.” – Ephesians 3:17
“In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.” – Jesus John 14:2-3
During COVID we starting putting out our Christmas trees and and nativities in November. [We have always started Christmas music in October.] Apologies to those who think we should wait until after Thanksgiving.
2020 was a rough year in so many ways. Longing for Christmas to come early came out of that, and nothing has altered that since then.
This world needs Jesus so badly. We as Christ-followers need Him…and we must keep space for Him in our lives.
My Mom was born just before the Great Depression happened, the shock of which shook the world. Her family was devastated by the economic downturn, but Christmas still continued a season of hope for her. The nativity below was Mom’s so it has been an annual reminder of there being “no room in the inn” for Jesus’ birth.
To consider his birth and what it means to us is too grand to just be celebrated in some tight commercial schedule toward the end of December. It is glorious how God came so near us to show Himself to us, up-close and personally.
So strange that room had to be made for him! We are made even more aware of our need to keep room – make room – for him in our lives.
Not just as a baby Messiah but every moment of every day in all kinds of ways.
Even in the chaos of life in this world of ours, He brings beauty and peace and healing.
He makes a way forward, and I want to make room for that…for Him.
I find space for what I treasure And I make time for what I want I choose my priorities and Jesus, You’re my number one
So I will make room for You I will prepare for two So You don’t feel that You Can’t live here, please live in me
I find space for what I treasure And I make time for what I want I choose my priorities and Jesus, You’re my number one Yes Jesus, You’re my number one
So I will make room for You I will prepare for two So You, You don’t feel that You Can’t live here, please live in me
I will make room for You I will (I will) prepare for two So You (So You) don’t feel that You Can’t live here, please live in me Live in me, yeah Please live in me, God I will make room for You
My will (You can move that over) My way (You can move that over, too) My ego (You can move that over) My plans (You can move that over, too) My schedule (You can move that over) My itinerary (You can move that over) For see I, I will make room for You
My habits (You can move that over) My attitude (You can move that over, too) Whatever it is (You can move that over) That’s not like You (You can move that over, too) Whatever it is (You can move that over) You can move it over (You can move that over, too) See I will make room, yeah
Whatever it is (You can move that over) That’s in Your way (You can move that over, too) Whatever it is (You can move that over) If it takes Your space (You can move that over, too) See whatever it is (You can move that over) Oh, I don’t want it there (You can move that over, too) See, I will make room, yeah
I wanna seek You first (You can move that over) Keep the old things out the way (You can move that over, too) I wanna seek You first (You can move that over) Move it all out the way (You can move that over, too) See, whatever it is (You can move that over) Lord, I just want You (You can move that over, too) So I will make room, yeah
See, whatever it is (You can move that over) Move it over (You can move that over, too) Please just move it over (You can move that over) Help me move it over (You can move that over, too) Jesus, I (You can move that over) I just want You to know (You can move that over, too) That I will make room
I find space for what I treasure And I make time for what I want I choose my priorities and Jesus, You’re my number one*
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. – Romans 10:13-15
Do you know when you first heard about Jesus?
How old were you? What was the circumstance?
For me…I was maybe 6 or 7. Before that, my mom was doing all she could to keep us fed and clothed in a hard marriage. If she told us about Jesus, I don’t remember. She might have, but for her during those years of small ones, faith had been wrung out of her by hardship and disappointment.
Until…some neighbors invited us to their church, and we went. It was there that, as Paul described in his letter to the Roman church above that we first heard a clear message of the person and life of Jesus Christ. It was in that church, as a 9 year old, that I trusted God, through Christ, for the forgiveness of my sins. I trusted God with my small life and my large future.
There have been bumps in the road over the decades following, but none so large that caused me to leave my faith. During a time of great persecution, the apostle Peter declared (in response to Jesus’ question “Do you want to leave?”): “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
That is my witness as well. Nowhere would I want to be except in this journey and destination the Lord has graciously given to me…and you. What a wonder that I got to hear about Him. At an early age. How about you?
It’s not always in a church building where we hear. I’ve known people (and the stories of many others) who came to faith through the quiet revelation of truth by the Holy Spirit…a taxi driver in a far away place whose conversation with a believer really just confirmed what he had already heard, in his dreams and private wrestling with God. A young woman who witnessed her mother’s long years of faithful following of Christ and finally received Him for herself. A man who heard Jesus’ teaching, as he read torn and discarded pieces of Scripture, and believed. So many.
What joy we experience in knowing Jesus. He has brought joy to the whole world. May many hear and receive the good news!
I’ve heard about You It’s always this time of year When the trees are up and lights are hung And Christmastime is here
I’ve heard about You Sometimes I struggle to believe But people keep on telling me You’re as real as real can be
They sing Joy to the world A Savior is born O Holy night Every Christmas, they sing Hallelujah Like they always do Could it be true What I’ve heard about You
I’ve heard about You All those stories that they tell They say You came to fix a broken world And that Your name is Emmanuel
I’ve heard about You Born in Bethlehem, The Christ Who left His throne to rescue Even a doubter’s heart like mine
So I sing Joy to the world A Savior is born O Holy night Every Christmas, I’ll sing Hallelujah Like they always do I believe it’s all true What I’ve heard about You What I’ve heard about You
Hope is here Hallelujah Hope is here
If it’s all true Then it changes everything Cause the hope I thought I’d never find Has found its way to me
So I sing Joy to the world A Savior is born O Holy night Every Christmas, I’ll sing Hallelujah Like they always do I believe it’s all true What I’ve heard about You*
2022 is rapidly winding down. Whew! to finish out the year, these Friday Faves can help us get ready for the new year…hopefully a joyful one!
1) New Year’s Resolutions – 2022…the end is in sight. What do we do with this new year ahead? Do we revisit those habits we thought about changing up in this year? Maybe so. Or maybe we didn’t alter course so much for good reason. Let’s give pause a moment and consider…
I take New Year’s resolutions seriously. They have served me well through the years in shaking up troublesome habits as well as galvanizing better ones. New (or restored) habits that nurture the body, the spirit….and, when possible, family and community.
New Year’s resolutions are not always exercises in futility. They can be excellent pathways to a strong start into the next year. Some of my family and friends treat resolutions with disdain…they never work; they never last. Oh, but not always!
They can be super energizing. Whether we meet our goals or not, there is great promise within the resolution for resetting our thinking. A keen sense of self, or self-awareness, aids in our understanding of habits and true habit change.
Without knowing it, I have actually used a practice of habit change that Ken Sande writes about on his blog, Relational Wisdom 360. He first influenced my life years ago with his work on conflict resolution through his Peacemaker Ministries. He is a gentle guide in many of the issues that complicate our lives.
His article on Seven Principles of Habit Change came at a great time. Sande talks quite kindly about how we develop habits and what it takes to change them. His first principle of habit change gives us a look at the cycle of habits – the cue, the routine (or response), and the reward. I have actually followed Ken Sande’s principles below (without knowing the wisdom of it).
Every habit has three parts: a cue, a routine, and a reward.
You can change an undesirable habit by keeping the cue and reward but learning a new routine.
The best way to overcome the temptation to revert to old routines is to have a detailed action plan.
Habit change builds momentum if you can change a single “keystone habit” and then continue to build on consecutive “small wins”.
Will power is like a muscle: it can be strengthened and yet needs to be exerted strategically.
Faith is an essential part of changing habits.
Habit change is more likely to occur within a community (even if it’s just two people). – Ken Sande
Self-awareness is a huge factor relating to habit change. I can see that more now having come through seasons of looking at my own habits.
“Self-awareness is defined as conscious knowledge of oneself; it’s a stepping stone to reinventing oneself, learning to make wiser decisions, and helps you tune into your thoughts and feelings. So often we place blame on externalities because it’s the easiest excuse, when in fact we should be thinking about our thinking, reflecting, trying on different perspectives, and learning from our mistakes.” – Paul Jun
It is possible to affect true habit change if we are willing to take a studied look at ourselves – our awareness and our engagement with making choices/decisions, singularly and within relationship. I used to think that self-awareness was morally charged, i.e., it drove us to become more self-centered. That doesn’t have to be the case. When we take time to really examine where our minds go, through the day, we can train our thinking toward what matters most – related to people, resources, and life purpose.
When we are willing to do that, New Year’s resolutions can become much more transformative than just a few weeks of good intentions. These habit change principles can apply to anger issues, pornography, other addictions, and pretty much any habitual process that negatively affects your work, relationships or general peace of mind.
Five years back, our pastor Cliff at Movement Church challenged us to commit to some resolutions to the Lord…together [podcast of 12/31/2017 here]. That was such a pivotal exercise that I have kept the resolutions made that day in a visible place, to be reminded of the good change in life, and the struggle… Still in view…five years out. Still relevant to now. For 2023, on it again.
Jonathan Edwards, the great 18th century preacher and theologian, definitely understood the importance of praying through and writing out resolutions that would inform his daily life. Over the course of several months, he composed seventy resolutions for life. You can read them here. The five resolutions I made during church on a New Year’s Eve are weighty enough for me…can’t imagine 70! Edwards just gives an example of a man who, even as deeply devoted as he already was, did not want to miss God in a busy life of ministry. Nor did he want to miss the people God placed in his life.
Resolutions help us to keep the main thing the main thing. Sure, we may struggle to keep our bodies and houses in order. Those are temporary situations. Where we hope most to be successful is in keeping our hearts tuned to what matters most. Going deep with God and others. Even with the continuing threat of COVID...if we are ruthless and wise, and don’t give in to another year of listlessness and waiting.
2) Habit Planner –Anyone who knows the writing of Justin Whitmel Earley knows his commitment to a life well-lived. He is determined to live intentionally, not leaving the substance of his life to outside powers or sloppy habits.
“Unlike resolutions, we actually become our habits. There are no changed lives outside of changed habits. And if we want to actually change, we need to take a sober look at where our habits are leading us.” – Justin Whitmel Earley
“Habits are the little things we do over and over without thinking about them. And the tiny and subconscious nature of habits makes them powerful. Why? Because they create our “normal.” Normal life is what stays with you from January through December. Normal life is what shapes your kids, your body, your schedule, and your heart.” – Justin Whitmel Earley
His two books – The Common Rule and Habits of the Household – lay out a simple path for examining our current lives and then setting strategy for habit change. So accessible and engaging whatever our preferences for methods are. If spreadsheets help, he has one for you. If you need a more fuzzy-boundaried approach (that would be me), you can glean from his wisdom, and alter course accordingly.
Below are his own examples of the habit planner. I appreciate his heart so much. He helps us all he can (in his books and free resources):
Below is Tim Ferriss’ guide for a past year review from his own blog (and podcast):
Grab a notepad and create two columns: POSITIVE and NEGATIVE.
Go through your calendar from the last year, looking at every week.
For each week, jot down on the pad any people or activities or commitments that triggered peak positive or negative emotions for that month. Put them in their respective columns.
Once you’ve gone through the past year, look at your notepad list and ask, “What 20% of each column produced the most reliable or powerful peaks?”
Based on the answers, take your “positive” leaders and schedule more of them in the new year. Get them on the calendar now! Book things with friends and prepay for activities/events/commitments that you know work. It’s not real until it’s in the calendar. That’s step one. Step two is to take your “negative” leaders, put “NOT-TO-DO LIST” at the top, and put them somewhere you can see them each morning for the first few weeks of 2022. These are the people and things you *know* make you miserable, so don’t put them on your calendar out of obligation, guilt, FOMO, or other nonsense.
We do a year-end review but not in order to plan out the next year. Mostly to celebrate the year rapidly coming to an end and to reflect on how we might reorder the course of the next year (re the negatives).
4) Word for the Year –Two years ago, I read Debbie Macomber‘s book One Perfect Word. She tells fascinating stories of persons’ choosing a word to guide their year. Finishing her book and praying a bit, the word compassion became my focus. 2021 was a good year for that as we dealt with so many divisions over COVID, race, politics, etc. Compassion for all on both sides of each issue.
At first I wasn’t going to do “a word” for 2022, and then a rapid series of “coincidences” drew me to the word: joy. As 2021 ended, I had become negative and even a bit cynical. Still having faith in God but not so much in humans, including myself. Even after a year of compassion!!
to notice joy in this day and to hope for joy in days to come,
to look for light and share it with others this Advent season,
to see beauty in creation and the people we encounter,
to laugh heartily with childlike glee,
to feel true joy in your presence. Amen.
Now looking at 2023…what word? For awhile, I thought the word would be persevere. Dave and I both agreed that perseverance is essential but did I want to make it my word of the year? Prayed that one down. Then in the last several days, the Lord keeps bringing the word wonder to mind.
I’m thinking God is preparing me for a year full of wonder…with eyes fixed on Him.
5) The Last Days of 2022 – What a year! Losses and gains as most years bring. The losses feel more lonely, and the gains more glorious. Maybe it’s my age, but as this year ends, I’m just incredibly grateful for God, for life, for loves in this life…and for opportunity…welcoming 2023 holding onto God and those around us…with joy and wonder.
Now on to 2023!! Thanks for stopping by. It means a lot.
Bonuses:
Resolve in 2013 to mend fences, repair broken bridges, build appropriate gates, and tear down unnecessary walls. — Burk Parsons @burkparsons
