once upon a love story

okay, so let's all keep in mind... for this to be enjoyable, it's important to listen to the songs i talk about in the blog. it's kind of the point. I want you to enjoy them and react too! okay, great.

so, Montreal's a cold place, and the closest I've been to being completely "swept off my feet" recently was when I was almost laid out by a sheet of ice hurrying towards my afternoon class last Thursday. That's a bad feeling. Even among the many other ways I can think of being 'swept away', they always seem to involve losing control or being completely overwhelmed. One minute, you're swimming and suddenly you're caught in rapids pulling you downstream? Swept away. No control.

One of the greatest stories in the Bible, in my opinion, is when King David brings the ark back to Israel, and he was swept away in worship for God. In second Samuel 6:5&16 it says, "David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals... and David... danced before the Lord with all his might." What a great picture. Uncalculated, unprepared, unabashed, full-body worship. No rules or boundaries. David even gets reprimanded, and he says "I'll become even more ndignified than this..." in verse 22. There would be nothing stopping him from the overwhelming joy and praise he wanted to bring before His God. How exciting.

I was talking to a friend this week about the rules that are imposed on us, as well as the ones we impose on ourselves to keep us from being 'swept away'. It's a way we choose to control ourselves and our surroundings. We want to be comfortable by sticking to these rules, we
choose to "keep it under control" for the sake of our reputations, image, or whatever we find important. The thing that I would argue is broken in our use of a rule-based ethic is that it can overpower our belief that God wants to change us from the inside out with his perfect Love.

When we think of Jesus' love and grace given so freely, we can accept Him as the only agent of true freedom, creativity, satisfaction, brokenness, and real beauty in our lives. The truth that God loves me and created me to love Him is overwhelming and beautiful, freeing and lovely.

What is it about God that overwhelms you? When's the last time you were swept away in the truth of His love for you? What rules are keeping you from being totally immersed in His freedom? The love story of our Saviour is enough to catch anyone off guard. Don't be afraid to be loved by the One who came to love you.

John 10:9-11
"I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). He will come in and he will go out [freely], and will find pasture. The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destrip. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep.


'Sweep Me Away' - Kari Jobe (new CD: kari jobe - not on youtube, sorry)

Father, I love Your ways.
You came in Your mercy, and died in my place.
All I can do is bow, because of Your goodness
and Your sovereign grace, that You...

Sweep me away. Sweep me away in Your love where nothing else matters.

Tears rolling down my face,
because of Your love and Your sweet embrace.
The peace that just overflows... it's here that I know
You have been waiting to...

Sweep me away. Sweep me away in Your love where nothing else matters.

Your grace, it covers me. Your love, it covers me. O God, You cover me.