Friday, April 25, 2008

Made to Love

I am currently in Nashville for GMA week. The highlight of the time is the Dove Awards, it’s sort of like the Grammies of Christian music. So, I’ve decided to use Moment for Mom to dig a little deeper into some of the nominees for song of the year.

One of those songs is Toby Mac’s, “Made to Love.” Toby starts this song describing waking up in the morning and realizing he’s lost his fire, his passion for the Lord…he asks, “What became of the flame that made me feel more?”

I think we all have seasons of feeling distant from God, in need of a spiritual re-awakening. Even King David, a man after God’s own heart struggled with these feelings…In Psalm 10 he says, “Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” In Psalm 22, David’s despair is again evident...“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.”

When we’re feeling like our passion for God has dried up, it’s important to remember that God has not gone anywhere. Most often, we are the ones who have moved away. So, how do we get back to that place of deep relationship with him? I think the answer is to return Him to His proper place in your life…first place. Listen to these words from Proverbs 20: "Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love his throne is made secure." When we love the Lord with all of our hearts, minds, souls and strength we secure his throne in our lives.

Toby Mac echoes this idea In Made to Love. He is able return to a place of passion and excitement for the Lord when he realizes that his main purpose in life is to love, and be loved by God. He says, “I feel a breeze cover me called ‘Jehova’”.

Are you ready for that kind of refreshing of your Spirit? Then it’s time to lay it all down at His throne…telling God that you are ready to let Him take over, ready to love and be loved by him.

Dove Awards-Give You Glory

I am currently in Nashville for GMA. The highlight of the week is the Dove Awards, it’s sort of like the Grammys of Christian music. So, I’ve decided to use Moment for Mom to dig a little deeper into some of the nominees for song of the year.

One of those songs is “Give You Glory” by Jeremy Camp. It’s a worship song describing our heart’s desire to lift our voices and hands to God…knowing we can never match his greatness or repay him for his love.

I’ve heard the expression, “Give God Glory” many times, and it’s something I’ve never fully understood. How can we as humans do or say anything that could even could even give God a speck of the glory He deserves?

Some definitions of Glory include, a state of high honor, a brilliant radiant beauty, an indication of radiant light drawn around the head of a saint, to rejoice proudly.

Understanding the meaning of the word will helps to understand the application. We can certainly give God a state of high honor in our lives by putting Him first and treating Him with reverence. We reflect his brilliant, radiant beauty when we love and show kindness to others. These are the times that His light shines through us. Finally, we give God glory when we rejoice proudly over all that he is and all that he has done for us.

Psalm 86 beautifully expresses the longing to glorify, saying: I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave.

The truth is that with each moment of our lives we are either Glorifying God or disgracing Him. There is no middle ground. Let’s pray for hearts that long to glorify him.

Dove Awards-Forgiveness

I am currently in Nashville for GMA. The highlight of the week is the Dove Awards, it’s sort of like the Grammies of Christian music. So, I’ve decided to use Moment for Mom to dig a little deeper into some of the nominees for song of the year.

Three of the songs nominated are about God’s forgiveness. For starters, “Undo”, by Rush of Fools talks about getting to a point in life where you realize just how far away from God you’ve gotten. The chorus says, “Bring me back to the place of forgiveness and grace. I need you. I need your help. I can’t do this myself. You’re the only one who can undo what I’ve done.” I think we’ve all been at this point before. Maybe you’re there right now. The good news is that God’s grace is perfected in a heart this humble and ready for guidance.

The version of “Amazing Grace” written by Chris Tomlin is another nominee. It’s a slightly new twist on an old favorite hymn. I think this song has resonated with so many people over the years because it hits all of us exactly where we are. I’ve even seen a t-shirt that says “I am the wretch the song talks about”. There’s not one of us that couldn’t wear that shirt. All are lost, all are blind. Thank God today that his amazing gift of grace offers us a way out of this condition!

Finally, “East to West” from Casting Crowns defines our struggle to fully accept God’s forgiveness. All too often we send ourselves on a Guilt Trip over sins that we were forgiven of long ago. However, we’re told several times in the Bible that once we have been forgiven…that’s it. The slate is wiped clean and God has forgotten our sin. Psalm 103:12 is the verse that inspired the song from Casting Crowns...it says, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

I am so thankful that His forgiveness is so perfect and complete. Today, let’s take some time to reflect on his Grace. Let’s also pray that we will be able to fully accept his grace, never looking back.