worship
give us Your heart
January 31, 2017
When I started this blog in 2009, it was in some of my loneliest days of living far from dear friends and within a time that I was learning what it meant to sing praises even when I felt too low to smile. I named it 'Off With Your Sandals' because it was for times when I needed to come in close and listen closely to what God was telling me about Himself, about how He loves us (all of us), who I am in Him, and what I'm called to.
In its earliest form, Off With Your Sandals took the form of song studies, and I dissected the parts of the song that spoke to me and ushered me into a posture that changed my heart and/or mind. I usually listened to the song on the repeat, sang it loudly, and took an afternoon or evening to write about my response.
All this to say that I was brought back to my computer screen, loud singing and song repeating because of this song today
GIVE US YOUR HEART
by: The Emerging Sound (feat. Melanie Tierce)
Your eyes are on the lowly,
Though others look away
Your feet run to the broken
Your hands are quick to save
Make us like You, Lord
You walk with the forgotten
And offer them a home
Adopting the unwanted
And calling them Your own
Make us like You, Lord
Give us Your heart
Let the Light of Heaven shine
As we step into the dark
Oh,
Give us Your heart, Oh
Give us Your heart
To see Your Kingdom come
And death depart
Oh,
Give us Your heart, Oh
Give us Your Heart
Let justice flow,
Like a river in a desert
Let the nations know
That You will reign forever
As the earth beholds
The glory of the Saviour
Let justice flow
--------
I've read a lot this past month, in a season post-Masters and pre-work, about justice according to God (I highly recommend Tim Keller's 'Generous Justice'). The rightness and fullness of God's kingdom is all about reconciliation, adoption, restoration, and God's grace, mercy, beauty and compassion. This is God's heart for His people, for creation... to be reconciled to their purposes and to be known fully, and to live fully as loved and accepted.
'as we step into the dark'
First of all.... we must choose to step into darkness. We are made to be Light, to share Light, experience Light, and then BRING it to the darkness. I am grieved as I watch dominant voices and powers within our societies reject and marginalize the 'least of these' (Mt 25:40) when Jesus says that it is to them we are called to show care.
In its earliest form, Off With Your Sandals took the form of song studies, and I dissected the parts of the song that spoke to me and ushered me into a posture that changed my heart and/or mind. I usually listened to the song on the repeat, sang it loudly, and took an afternoon or evening to write about my response.
All this to say that I was brought back to my computer screen, loud singing and song repeating because of this song today
GIVE US YOUR HEART
by: The Emerging Sound (feat. Melanie Tierce)
Your eyes are on the lowly,
Though others look away
Your feet run to the broken
Your hands are quick to save
Make us like You, Lord
You walk with the forgotten
And offer them a home
Adopting the unwanted
And calling them Your own
Make us like You, Lord
Oh,
Give us Your heart, OhGive us Your heart
Let the Light of Heaven shine
As we step into the dark
Oh,
Give us Your heart, Oh
Give us Your heart
To see Your Kingdom come
And death depart
Oh,
Give us Your heart, Oh
Give us Your Heart
Let justice flow,
Like a river in a desert
Let the nations know
That You will reign forever
As the earth beholds
The glory of the Saviour
Let justice flow
--------
'you walk with the forgotten' / 'adopting the unwanted'
I've been thinking about how Jesus might have become the 'Friend of Sinners'. It takes a while to be known as someone's friend. I imagine that he was often found sitting with people that others would walk away from sooner than to join on the ground. He scandalized the rule-keepers with his grace. He saw that each one was needing love and acceptance and restoration. This is His heart. His heart standing with, walking with, identifying with the lonely and rejected (Prov 14:31, 19:17).
I've been thinking about how Jesus might have become the 'Friend of Sinners'. It takes a while to be known as someone's friend. I imagine that he was often found sitting with people that others would walk away from sooner than to join on the ground. He scandalized the rule-keepers with his grace. He saw that each one was needing love and acceptance and restoration. This is His heart. His heart standing with, walking with, identifying with the lonely and rejected (Prov 14:31, 19:17).
'give us Your heart'
God's heart is kind and attentive. God's heart is mighty. God's justice is not half-full, it calls us to a deeper, higher calling of addressing the needs of others. God's heart, the knowledge of it's "reckless love" will energize us to do something.
God's heart is kind and attentive. God's heart is mighty. God's justice is not half-full, it calls us to a deeper, higher calling of addressing the needs of others. God's heart, the knowledge of it's "reckless love" will energize us to do something.
'as we step into the dark'
First of all.... we must choose to step into darkness. We are made to be Light, to share Light, experience Light, and then BRING it to the darkness. I am grieved as I watch dominant voices and powers within our societies reject and marginalize the 'least of these' (Mt 25:40) when Jesus says that it is to them we are called to show care.
I want to be made like Him. Transformed into His likeness. I remember singing with my whole heart "break my heart for what breaks yours" all those years ago, and I still want that. But... here's the thing, God's heart does break, His desire is for Light to spill out into darkness. Darkness is no more when Light gets there.
I have seen some darkness in the last few years and even (and maybe especially) the last few days. Sometimes I want to do is look away and stay comfortable. Things are far from what they are supposed to be. It is hard to go sometimes, we can get 'spent' and 'burnt out'... but... what I learned from my experiences is that we must be equipped and prepared, but we also MUST go. We put on the Armour of God, we walk into God's work for us, and we make sure that we go. We can be sure God goes with us just as He prepares us.
'let justice flow'
Can you imagine what it would be like if justice were to 'flow'? Full justice. Full restoration, communities bursting with Light, and reconciliation of all the very many broken things. If justice were to flow... it would be approaching a land that has not known it as it was intended.. like a river in the desert of our darknesses.
How do we bring that? How can we begin to break the fallow ground that is our hearts and our society and our own staleness, fear, anxiety?
Isaiah 49:8-10 "In a time of favour I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages, saying to the prisoners, 'Come out,' to those who are in darkness, 'Appear.' They shall feed along the ways, on all the bare heights shall be their pasture; they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind now sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them."
God has enough justice, goodness, and faithfulness to go 'round. Let's share in His heart and generously bring justice with our eyes, breath, hands and feet, time and care, words and prayers.
My Lighthouse -- A symbol of faithfulness
March 27, 2014
I decided to try another song-related blog post. For those of you who didn't know, that's where "Off With Your Sandals" all got started. Just little me getting real about what Jesus means to me and reflecting on songs that have pointed me towards some great truths.
I am getting married in 24 days. Unreal. Truly, the joys and blessings leading up to this celebration have certainly made for the most beautiful, exciting season of my life so far (by far).
And yet, to be honest, leading up to our wedding has been a bit of a disorienting time for me because of the life-altering changes which are imminent in a time like this. Don't get me wrong-- I could not be more thrilled and truly blessed that the man I am marrying is 'in it' for the long haul with me. But, really, what will that look like? How much does that change other relationships? What ugly thing will it bring out in me that will be exposed to someone whose opinion matters so much to me? Well, that's the beauty of it, we're promising to be there throughout it all, no matter what comes our way, together.
More truth? We don't really know how to do that yet. Y'know, the 'being in it no matter what' thing. I know I'll be bad at it sometimes. Other times maybe it will feel like it comes (super)naturally. Mostly, I think we'll just look at each other in life's different seasons and be like "What is going on here?!" and be thankful to have a teammate to go through it with.
All that said, this song came at a really cool season in my life ('My Lighthouse' - Rend Collective). The lyric that pushed me to write this is: "Fire before us, You're the brightest. You will lead us through the storms." Thank God!
We're super-fresh newborn babies in this whole realm/idea of the commitment of marriage, but what we do know is that it's not going to work if we're banking on each other to be the other's anchor or guide or lifeline or compass when we're in the same boat. God's promises, His Word, and gentle leading have gotta handle those roles for us. The good news is, my experiences show me He's got it covered!
FIRE BEFORE US
I like this title for God. We just we reminded at Knox (our church) through The Lord's Prayer (Psalm 23) that it is important to address God by His names. Helps to arrange ourselves in an appropriate posture when addressing El Shaddai -- Commander of Angel Armies, for example. I love when God is called "a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29). It's not a flickering flame. That fire is raging and jealous -- in a powerful, not weak-jealous way.
Also, probably not surprisingly, it wasn't a huge stretch to take this image to the "Fire By Night" and think about the practical measure of God's presence, faithfulness and provision for Israel when they were escaping from captivity in Egypt.
Exodus 13:21 (NLT) -- The LORD went ahead of them. He guided them in the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night.
The fire is provided for the purpose of providing light and being a guide. The cloud is a poignant image throughout the Bible of God's holy presence being with His people. I also love how His provision made it possible to travel continuously. It's like God saying "I've got this, just keep moving, keep trusting me as I go ahead of you".
YOU'RE THE BRIGHTEST
When things get crazy, and you're disoriented on the ugly waves of grief, fear, suffering, and a myriad of other troubles... light is a way out. "WHAT SIDE IS UP!?" gets tricky to answer if you can't see anything.
John 8:12 (NLT) -- Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."
There can be other things that provide light, but they don't always lead to life. A focus for me has to be that I rely on God's truth, His Word, to guide my steps. This true light, in our world, is a beacon for others, too, so that when God's presence is found in us (because we just get out of the way), then they can also be encouraged and find solace.
YOU WILL LEAD US THROUGH THE STORMS
Referring to the same first passage about fire, 1 Corinthians 10:1 talks about not forgetting what God did, that He was able to protect God's people and lead them through... the sea! The Israelites had no way to go -- a body of water stood between the land of slavery, which was all they had known, and a new land of freedom and where they could be make a new life.
If he's leading, we've gotta follow. A tall order? Yup!
Matthew 16:24 -- Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
Dear Jesus -- thank you for being our guide, for being the truest Light and the truest Love we can depend on to lead us through all the seasons of our lives.
========================================================================
-- M Y ... L I G H T H O U S E --
(Rend Collective)
In my wrestling and in my doubts
In my failures You won't walk out
Your great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea
In the silence, You won't let go
In my questions, Your truth will hold
Your great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea
My Lighthouse, my lighthouse
Shining in the darkness, I will follow You
My Lighthouse, my Lighthouse
I will trust the promise,
You will carry me safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore
I won't fear what tomorrow brings
With each morning I'll rise and sing
My God's love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea
Fire before us, You're the brightest
You will lead us through the storms
I am getting married in 24 days. Unreal. Truly, the joys and blessings leading up to this celebration have certainly made for the most beautiful, exciting season of my life so far (by far).
And yet, to be honest, leading up to our wedding has been a bit of a disorienting time for me because of the life-altering changes which are imminent in a time like this. Don't get me wrong-- I could not be more thrilled and truly blessed that the man I am marrying is 'in it' for the long haul with me. But, really, what will that look like? How much does that change other relationships? What ugly thing will it bring out in me that will be exposed to someone whose opinion matters so much to me? Well, that's the beauty of it, we're promising to be there throughout it all, no matter what comes our way, together.
More truth? We don't really know how to do that yet. Y'know, the 'being in it no matter what' thing. I know I'll be bad at it sometimes. Other times maybe it will feel like it comes (super)naturally. Mostly, I think we'll just look at each other in life's different seasons and be like "What is going on here?!" and be thankful to have a teammate to go through it with.
All that said, this song came at a really cool season in my life ('My Lighthouse' - Rend Collective). The lyric that pushed me to write this is: "Fire before us, You're the brightest. You will lead us through the storms." Thank God!
We're super-fresh newborn babies in this whole realm/idea of the commitment of marriage, but what we do know is that it's not going to work if we're banking on each other to be the other's anchor or guide or lifeline or compass when we're in the same boat. God's promises, His Word, and gentle leading have gotta handle those roles for us. The good news is, my experiences show me He's got it covered!
FIRE BEFORE US
I like this title for God. We just we reminded at Knox (our church) through The Lord's Prayer (Psalm 23) that it is important to address God by His names. Helps to arrange ourselves in an appropriate posture when addressing El Shaddai -- Commander of Angel Armies, for example. I love when God is called "a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29). It's not a flickering flame. That fire is raging and jealous -- in a powerful, not weak-jealous way.
Also, probably not surprisingly, it wasn't a huge stretch to take this image to the "Fire By Night" and think about the practical measure of God's presence, faithfulness and provision for Israel when they were escaping from captivity in Egypt.
Exodus 13:21 (NLT) -- The LORD went ahead of them. He guided them in the day with a pillar of cloud, and he provided light with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night.
The fire is provided for the purpose of providing light and being a guide. The cloud is a poignant image throughout the Bible of God's holy presence being with His people. I also love how His provision made it possible to travel continuously. It's like God saying "I've got this, just keep moving, keep trusting me as I go ahead of you".
YOU'RE THE BRIGHTEST
When things get crazy, and you're disoriented on the ugly waves of grief, fear, suffering, and a myriad of other troubles... light is a way out. "WHAT SIDE IS UP!?" gets tricky to answer if you can't see anything.
John 8:12 (NLT) -- Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."
There can be other things that provide light, but they don't always lead to life. A focus for me has to be that I rely on God's truth, His Word, to guide my steps. This true light, in our world, is a beacon for others, too, so that when God's presence is found in us (because we just get out of the way), then they can also be encouraged and find solace.
YOU WILL LEAD US THROUGH THE STORMS
Referring to the same first passage about fire, 1 Corinthians 10:1 talks about not forgetting what God did, that He was able to protect God's people and lead them through... the sea! The Israelites had no way to go -- a body of water stood between the land of slavery, which was all they had known, and a new land of freedom and where they could be make a new life.
If he's leading, we've gotta follow. A tall order? Yup!
Matthew 16:24 -- Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
As a team, we will need to always be listening/watching for His leading. Also, may I just say, from what I know of myself already and what I've heard about marriage -- probably, if I could "deny myself" at all, I will be able to better be lead to care for another more than I care to look out for myself!
Dear Jesus -- thank you for being our guide, for being the truest Light and the truest Love we can depend on to lead us through all the seasons of our lives.
========================================================================
-- M Y ... L I G H T H O U S E --
(Rend Collective)
In my wrestling and in my doubts
In my failures You won't walk out
Your great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea
In the silence, You won't let go
In my questions, Your truth will hold
Your great love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea
My Lighthouse, my lighthouse
Shining in the darkness, I will follow You
My Lighthouse, my Lighthouse
I will trust the promise,
You will carry me safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore (Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
Safe to shore
I won't fear what tomorrow brings
With each morning I'll rise and sing
My God's love will lead me through
You are the peace in my troubled sea
You are the peace in my troubled sea
Fire before us, You're the brightest
You will lead us through the storms
who believes
November 11, 2012
written Nov.11/2012
who believes, and how?
we stand sing; we bow
we learn and lead, we pray
for God's voice to speak today
I stand up and use my gifts
I walk to the edge, I stand on a cliff
I learn and grow; do I walk alone?
I hope for a glimpse, I approach the throne
You gather me with the other sheep
You walk alongside me, you're strong for the weak
You are much greater, You surprise me
You are present to those who believe
who believes, and how?
we stand sing; we bow
we learn and lead, we pray
for God's voice to speak today
I stand up and use my gifts
I walk to the edge, I stand on a cliff
I learn and grow; do I walk alone?
I hope for a glimpse, I approach the throne
You gather me with the other sheep
You walk alongside me, you're strong for the weak
You are much greater, You surprise me
You are present to those who believe
bold, bleeding & believing
October 15, 2011
this song came to mind today when i was reflecting on God's love for me as the Beloved.
today, i am looking at the passage in Luke 8:43-48. the story here is about a woman who has looked for healing everywhere and believes Jesus has the power to heal her. she believes so much that, in a crowded place, she reaches out to touch him and is healed.
today, i am looking at the passage in Luke 8:43-48. the story here is about a woman who has looked for healing everywhere and believes Jesus has the power to heal her. she believes so much that, in a crowded place, she reaches out to touch him and is healed.
(note: by Jewish law she ceremonially unclean. she wouldn't be welcome anywhere!)
then her act is acknowledged because Jesus knew the difference between her reaching and the crowds' pushing. One reason Dr Ralph Wilson suggests Jesus "exposed her secret" of silent healing is that Jesus is taking the first step in lifting the burden of uncleanness from her by accepting her publicly.
as i share with you, i feel like i am the woman in Luke 8:47,
47And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.
i admire her. she's bold! she's elbowed her way through the crowd to get the healing she's needed for years. the most interesting part of the story to me is that she gets the healing and thinks she's outta there-- no 'thank you', no conversation with Jesus, nothing. it's Jesus that's immediately interested: "Who was it that touched me?"
i think we still feel the need to hide once we've received healing. shame is a powerful thing. is it that we don't believe we are truly forgiven? the woman in the story would have feared public shaming should the crowd have known her situation. her focus is on her identity as an unwell person (and one particular flaw that has kept her ostracized), not the miracle that has made her well.
"insert Rachel"-- a little shaky, to be honest. knowing and recognizing that i am not hidden from God... my weakness, darkness, loneliness, brokenness and failures are all exposed. yep, all of that and lots more. but, i'm forgiven. FOR-GI-VEN! there is no point getting stuck in the 'yes, but...' of limiting God's grace and mercy towards me by not believing when the reality is that i am free from those things. i can see my weakness, sin or anything else that makes me imperfect as the location in which God's grace and mercy collides with my need continues the process of making me whole.
read here "Bleeding & Believing" (author?)- a poem i was given by a dear friend years ago.
In his book Spiritual Direction, Henri Nouwen says:
"only by expressing our anger and resentment directly to God in prayer will we come to know the fullness of love and freedom. only by pouring out our story of fear rejection, hatred, and bitterness can we hope to be healed."
Psalm 138:3 -- "On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased."
-----------------------------------------------------------------
then her act is acknowledged because Jesus knew the difference between her reaching and the crowds' pushing. One reason Dr Ralph Wilson suggests Jesus "exposed her secret" of silent healing is that Jesus is taking the first step in lifting the burden of uncleanness from her by accepting her publicly.
as i share with you, i feel like i am the woman in Luke 8:47,
47And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed.
i admire her. she's bold! she's elbowed her way through the crowd to get the healing she's needed for years. the most interesting part of the story to me is that she gets the healing and thinks she's outta there-- no 'thank you', no conversation with Jesus, nothing. it's Jesus that's immediately interested: "Who was it that touched me?"
i think we still feel the need to hide once we've received healing. shame is a powerful thing. is it that we don't believe we are truly forgiven? the woman in the story would have feared public shaming should the crowd have known her situation. her focus is on her identity as an unwell person (and one particular flaw that has kept her ostracized), not the miracle that has made her well.
"insert Rachel"-- a little shaky, to be honest. knowing and recognizing that i am not hidden from God... my weakness, darkness, loneliness, brokenness and failures are all exposed. yep, all of that and lots more. but, i'm forgiven. FOR-GI-VEN! there is no point getting stuck in the 'yes, but...' of limiting God's grace and mercy towards me by not believing when the reality is that i am free from those things. i can see my weakness, sin or anything else that makes me imperfect as the location in which God's grace and mercy collides with my need continues the process of making me whole.
read here "Bleeding & Believing" (author?)- a poem i was given by a dear friend years ago.
Once there was a wound
It was no ordinary wound
It was my wound
We had lived together long
I yearned to be free of this wound
I wanted the bleeding to stop
Yet if the truth be known
I felt a strange kind of gratitude for this wound
It had made me tremendously open to grace
vulnerable to God's mercy.
A beautiful believing in me that I have named Faith
kept growing, daring me, to reach for what i could not see
This wound had made me open.
I was ready for grace
And so one day, I reached.
That I was thick in the crowd bleeding and believing and I reached
At first I reached for what I could see; the fringe of a garment
But my reaching didn't stop there for Someone reached back into me
A grace I couldn't see flowed through me.
A power I didn't understand began to fill the depths of me.
Trembling, I was called forth to claim my wholeness
The bleeding had left me.
The believing remained.
And as strange as this may sound,
I have never lost my gratitude for the wound that made me so open to grace.
"only by expressing our anger and resentment directly to God in prayer will we come to know the fullness of love and freedom. only by pouring out our story of fear rejection, hatred, and bitterness can we hope to be healed."
Psalm 138:3 -- "On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased."
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"psalm 139" - rebecca st james
you search me, you know me
you see my every move
there's nothing i could ever do
to hide myself from you
you know my thoughts
my fears and hurts
my weaknesses and pride
you know what i am going through
and how i feel inside
but, even though you know
you will always love me
even though you know
you'll never let me go
i don't deserve your love
but you give it freely
you will always love me
even though you know
you search me, you know me
you see my every move
there's nothing i could ever do
to hide myself from you
you know my thoughts
my fears and hurts
my weaknesses and pride
you know what i am going through
and how i feel inside
but, even though you know
you will always love me
even though you know
you'll never let me go
i don't deserve your love
but you give it freely
you will always love me
even though you know
---
* on the blogs with a song there is a link to the song via youtube- click on the blog title.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons