days of love

http://youtu.be/3L93CAojM6Q


the days that love began to grow
the days that fears began to fade
those are the days that i'd never trade,
the time it took to fall in love with You


i breathe, i breathe because it brings you pleasure
i live, i live only because You're alive
i will love, love through the pain
till only love remains
i'm Yours, oh Jesus i'm Yours
my life is not my own


there's a peace that comes to my soul when i remember You're in control
there's a joy that comes to my heart when i remember i'm not my own

He's a Man

when talking about my relationship with God, for a long time i didn't like using the word "God". i didn't really know why. the concept of "God" was too big, too ethereal and abstract for my mind to comprehend. it was almost too spiritual. for a long time, "God" never had a face, or a real voice for me to really comprehend. "God" remained far and distant, and a "touch" from "God" seemed impossible. i needed something tangible. i needed someone personal, someone who i could talk to, and someone who could talk back to me. i needed Jesus, for Jesus is the only way to the Father (john 14:6).

in the Person of Jesus, my God became a man. He's a living person, with emotions, a personality, a face to gaze upon, and big steady hands to hold. He has eyes that pierce the depths of my soul, full of kindness, and a mouth that brings forth sweet kisses of His word. He has a shoulder for me to lean into, arms to embrace me with, and a beating heart, full of love. He's more than a concept to understand, and more than just words on a page. He's more than religious rituals, more than that feel-good sermon to stir my heart. He's more than a nice idea, more than polished, articulate theology. He's more than the nice language i use to describe Him on this blog. He's more than all the music and words we sing at church. He's even more than a list of truths or a list of qualities that i keep trying to fill my mind with. He's a real, living person. He's a lovesick bridegroom, wanting nothing more than to hear the voice and see the face of His bride. like any other bridegroom jealous for the love of His bride, He wants all of me. He's like any other Husband who desires to spend quality time with His Bride, and share life. 

now, when i pray to God i don't find myself throwing words out to some spiritual force somewhere out there, hoping that they are heard. when i pray, i talk to a Man. i talk to Him in the same way i talk to any other person i love. i ask Him what He's thinking, what He's feeling. i share with Him my struggles, my praises, and my failures. He talks back to me, and encourages me. He shares with me the secrets of His heart. He gives me hope and a future. His words give me joy. 

in my reaching and searching the air for some sign of His nearness, i've made it more complicated than it should be. He's a Man, and He's in love with me.

deeper roots

i'm realizing that life is full of changes. decisions to be made, and more changes. days become weeks, weeks become months, months become years. jobs, school, and people in life come and go. so much of our lives are dependent on circumstance. the journey of faith is growing in love for an unseen God in the midst of overcoming the effects of a physical world on our spirit. even the smallest things can make or break our day. too often we get caught up in the moment. we catch ourselves living as if we belong to the world, and we allow ourselves to be shaken. we put ourselves at the center of our self-serving life, and we lose sight of the bigger picture, the bigger constants, and we lose sight of our God. and at the end of the day, i find my weak frame clinging to a strong God.
as i reflect on the past seasons, and prepare for seasons to come, i realize that maturity is to know that God is always in control, He is always near, He is always good, and He is always bigger than me. maturity is to have a deep trust in my Father, that my spirit would remain unshaken as the waves of life come crashing down. maturity is to remain confident and unoffended in the perfect leadership of God, even in these last days, and to follow Him wherever He goes.
my journey of faith is more than a few month's worth of an internship, more than a few years at any community, fellowship, culture of faith, or school. my journey of faith is a fight to the very end, until the day i see His face. oh that i would continue to reach, continue to run harder than i did yesterday, never looking back, and only going forward. oh if in 50 to 60 years from now i would stand in even greater confidence in the steadfast love of a good God. would it begin now, that i would close my eyes at any given moment and recognize His indwelling presence within me, and hear His voice of delight and pleasure. to rejoice at the sound of my Beloved. oh that i would live life resting under the shadow of His wings, the place where i can feel the peace of God that transcends all understanding, which is the gateway into a life of freedom and true joy.

the best part about it all is that my God is unchanging. He is constant, steadfast in love and mercy. He is full of grace and truth, and He is smiling at me.

the king rejoices in the LORD's strength

The king rejoices in your strength, LORD.
How great is his joy in the victories you give!
You have granted him his heart’s desire
and have not withheld the request of his lips.
You came to greet him with rich blessings
and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—
length of days, for ever and ever.
Through the victories you gave, his glory is great;
you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.
Surely you have granted him unending blessings
and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
For the king trusts in the LORD;
through the unfailing love of the Most High
he will not be shaken.