Listen to the Lyrics

While leading worship last night at The River, the lyrics to one of the songs seemed to call to me, beckoning me to pause and examine them more closely. Too often we sit in church and sing songs with powerful words but our minds and spirits are not really connecting with what we are singing. Last night, I connected, and I believe others did, too, as we stopped for a moment to really take in what we were singing. Words have power - the power of life and death, and whether we speak them or sing them, their effect on the spirit realm and on our lives is profound.

With this in mind, I am simply going to share with you the lyrics of this song that captured my attention last night and encourage you to ponder each line and what it can mean for your life today - right now, in this moment.

What cry of your heart needs to be heard and answered today? What hope needs to be renewed? What deep, dark thing inside you is longing for freedom? There is safety in this place. He is here.

Here I am once again
I pour out my heart
For I know that you hear every cry
You are listening
No matter what state my heart is in
You are faithful to answer
With words that are true
And a hope that is real
As I feel Your touch
You bring a freedom to all that's within
In the safety of this place

I'm longing to...

Pour out my heart
To say that I love You
Pour out my heart
To say that I need You
Pour out my heart
To say that I'm thankful
Pour out my heart
To say that You're wonderful

Song: Pour Out My Heart
Artist: Brian Doerksen
Album: Light the Fire Again
Written by: Craig Musseau
Copyright: 1994 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing

Speak, Lord, Your Servant is Listening

Music from the Heart: Speak to Me by Rebecca St. James

Sometimes sleep escapes me. I can be physically wiped out and so ready for sleep I can almost taste it, but sleep and all its sweet, restorative powers can still slip through my fingers like water. Around 1 AM this morning, I was in another one of my sleepless moments, and my spirit heard the whisper, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening."

I knew this line to be from the book of 1 Samuel, so I looked it up to read more of this familiar story. The boy Samuel was being raised in the temple by the priest Eli. On this particular night, Samuel was also having trouble sleeping. He kept hearing a voice calling his name, "Samuel! Samuel!"

Three times he heard his name, and each time, thinking it was Eli calling for him, Samuel got up and went to the old man of God to inquire of him what he wanted. It was only after the third time that Eli finally realized what was happening. The Lord Himself was addressing the boy. The story reads:

"Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD :
The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him."
v. 7

Eli instructed his young charge to go and wait and listen. The next time he heard the voice calling him, he was to answer, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening."

Samuel did as he was instructed, and the Lord began to speak to him about what He was about to do.

There are many things that fascinate me about this story, but for the sake of time and space I'll focus on just a couple for now. Verses 3 and 4 tell us this:

"Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.
Then the LORD called Samuel."

At this time in history, the ark was where the presence of the Lord dwelt. Samuel was already resting in the presence of the Lord. He was in the perfect place to hear the voice of the Lord, and his spirit was ready to hear, as he was not busy, but resting.

The Lord didn't just start telling Samuel what He wanted him to hear. He got Samuel's attention by calling his name. Calling someone by their name makes the relationship personal. The Lord wanted a personal encounter with Samuel, and He ensured this by calling Samuel by his name. It was only after the Lord had Samuel's full attention that He began to share with him what was on His heart.

I have been walking with the Lord for thirty-something years now, and our relationship is real and personal. I do hear Him speaking to me and I do recognize His voice. But I believe that He is calling His people to a deeper level of intimacy - a place of quiet and rest where our spirits can more readily hear His voice. The Lord commands rest, and in today's world, with its frantic busy-ness and never-ending flow of media entertainment and information, it is more crucial than ever that we slow down and obey the command for rest. We MUST intentionally place ourselves in a place and position of rest so that we are able to hear what He wants to say. His voice is not just another constantly streaming channel that we can tune in to in order to hear what He is saying. Like Samuel, we must respond to the personal attempts by God to get our full attention before He will share His heart with us.

I don't want to miss one word that He wants to tell me. I want to hear everything. As David commanded his soul to be still and know that God is God, so will I command my soul to be quiet and listen - listen for that unmistakable voice that settles every storm in me with a mere whisper.

Come and stand here, Lord. Share Your heart with me. Reveal Yourself to me. Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.

"The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up,
and he let none of his words fall to the ground.
And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized
that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD.
The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh,
and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word."
1 Samuel 3: 19-21

Attention Grabbing Title Here

Busy is as busy does. Okay, that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, but I needed a catchy opening line for this not so spectacular posting.

I really just wanted to make available for your viewing pleasure a short video comprised of photos from this year's Hope Fest. Normally I would have preferred to have this done much sooner after the actual event, but as my opening line indicates, I've been quite busy and just finished the video this week.

For more details on what we did and why, as well as why the song in the video is significant, please take a minute to check out the post from June 17 entitled "You're the One."

Otherwise, I'll let the video speak for itself. Enjoy, and remember, He will leave the ninety-nine to pursue the heart of one. You, dear friend, are indeed the one.

PS: Before you start the video, don't forget to go to the music player on the left side of this page and stop or pause the song that is playing.

The song: Leaving Ninety-Nine by Audio Adrenaline

Two Funerals

It's Tuesday morning. Through the closed blinds on the living room window I can see a pink glow, evidence that a new day is already well underway. Today millions of Americans will watch as the king of pop is laid to rest in Los Angeles. They actually printed and distributed tickets to the memorial service, and rumor has it that several singers will perform for the crowds that gather in the arena to witness this spectacle. Amid the lights, cameras and fanfare, a grieving family will say their final goodbyes to their son and brother, and three young children will bury their father.

Back here in the real world where the rest of us live, I will be attending another funeral today. I didn't know Paul Padilla very well at all, but what I did know of him blessed my heart. He started coming to The River about a year ago. He had a gentle spirit and a deep love for the Lord. There was a quiet humility about him that simply reminded me of the presence of Jesus. Paul had a smile that was contagious, even though it always to me seemed to stand in front of some hidden sadness. During worship on Monday nights, I would hear his deep voice softly praying and agreeing with whatever God was doing at the moment. "Yes, Lord, yes," he would say. Afterward, on his way out, he always made a point to catch my eye, smile at me, tip his head forward slightly as a gentlemanly show of respect to a lady, and say, "Bless you, sister Rachael." Then he would be quietly on his way.

Last week Paul, only 42 years old, quietly slipped from this life into the next. The suspicion is that he died of heat stroke. I don't know anything about his past or where he came from. But I have no doubt that the nanosecond after he closed his eyes for the last time here, he opened them to see the face of Jesus and heard the words we all long to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into your rest."

Today there will be no lights and cameras, no fanfare at a little church in Barling, Arkansas. There have not been tickets sold to witness the memorial of a man who lived simply and loved God. There will be no spectacle for millions to gaze upon - just a handful of friends and family, gathered together to honor the life of a good man.

It's Tuesday morning. Through the closed blinds on the living room window I can see a pink glow, evidence that a new day is already well underway ...

Broken Things

Enjoying a rare long weekend together, David and I took Sheba out on a little "mini adventure" the other day. David had no sooner grabbed her leash than she was waiting at the door, wagging her tail and ready to go. That dog loves to ride in the car. It doesn't matter where she's going. She doesn't care. If she's in the car going somewhere, she's happy.

First stop, the dog park. For the first time, we were the only ones there, but that didn't stop our girl from heading straight for the pond for a quick little dip. Next, we went to the nature center, where the three of us meandered down one of the walking trails. Later that evening, I noticed Sheba was limping. At first I thought she had perhaps picked up a sticker or splinter or something. But closer inspection revealed something a little more serious. The pad on her right front paw was torn away in one spot. It was not a deep wound, but it was easy to see why it was tender. What was supposed to protect the flesh on her foot was no longer there.

She laid there patiently while we bandaged her up. It was like she was almost grateful to have the wound being tended to. For two days now, she has not fussed with the bandage, which is a far cry from the last time she got hurt. Last year she took a flying leap out of the back of David's truck and messed up all four of her feet. Since she wouldn't leave the bandages alone, she had to wear one of the big plastic collars that limited her movement. She did not appreciate that one bit, but it was necessary for her to let the wounds heal.

This time, though, she is leaving everything alone and letting the foot heal. By the next morning she was already walking much better, and the foot is healing nicely. I know she's "just a dog," but it's like she has learned the hard way that an unattended wound will not heal - something the rest of us would do well to remember.

Hiding from the broken places in our lives and pretending they are not there only moves us farther away from wholeness. We limp through life, trying to ignore the hurt in our heart, while it is blatantly obvious to everyone around us that we are hurting. We need the Healer to tend to our wounds.

First He cleanses the wounds, washing away all the debris that surrounds and causes infection. Next, He applies a healing ointment, a soothing balm that brings comfort. This is followed by a covering, which protects and allows the healing to begin. Many people want to stop here in the healing process. But there is another step that must be taken for the healing to be complete. When the wound is ready, the covering is removed so that air can reach it. This results in the restoration of the outer layers of skin, which provide natural protection. A scar is left, a reminder of what was, but the healing and restoration are complete.

There are things in my own heart that are in this final restorative phase of the healing process. While still unpleasant at times, I have no doubt that this is for my good, and that it is necessary if I am to walk in wholeness. Yes, the air on a not-quite-healed wound stings a little from time to time, but I can handle it. As it heals, it itches occasionally, and I want to scratch it, but this would only reopen the wound, slowing down the healing. I don't want to go there. I like it here and I like what lies in front of me.

The Healer is monitoring my progress. Broken things are being restored. Placing my heart in His hands was the first step. It can be for you, too.

"Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it;
I will heal my people and will let them enjoy
abundant peace and security."
Jeremiah 33:6