You Make All Things New

one of the most powerful scenes in the movie the Passion of the Christ is when Jesus is carrying the cross, bruised and beaten, blood dripping from the crown of thorns pushed into his head. He collapses in fatigue and weakness, the weight of the cross bearing over him. His mother Mary comes running over in panic, and Jesus calms His mother with these simple words "See mother, I make all things new." (Rev 21:5) it's amazing that Jesus would say such thing. in the eyes of the world, how could a man like this make anything new? just look at Him! He can't even stand! He's about to be crucified!
the beautiful paradox of the gospel is that a man beaten to a pulp would overcome the weight of sin and pain of the world on the cross, only to turn it all around, to make all things new. He did it so that on the days when we feel at our worst--our most ugly, sinful, depressed, hopeless, and broken moments, the days where the accusations to our left and right tells us we've failed and it's all useless, He breaks forth with a resounding "I make all things new" and we can trade in our ashes for beauty, our sorrow for joy, or sin for righteousness.
Jesus, You make all things new. You are so able. help me to trust in You.

to know You

it's funny how so often we find ourselves in a place we don't want to be, only to find out that we're here so that He can do a beautiful work in our heart. we try so hard to run away from these places yet we end up back where we started, the very place we don't want to be.
what if i stopped trying to run away? what if i finally came into agreement with His leading, and understood that the very place where He placed me is where i need to be after all?
what if i actually believed that He knows better, that here is where i will finally learn to be content with nothing but Him? to be stripped of all things until He is all I have? that out of my heart will spring forth a passion for Jesus that would abound still more and more? is that not the cry that resonates within my soul? is He not answering that at this very moment?
i pray that my heart would learn to be still, and wait for His kind, tender heart to cover me like a blanket.
Jesus, teach me to pray. teach me to talk to you in every circumstance, in the exciting ones and the more boring, difficult ones. for talking to you only when i feel like it would really be like spiritual selfishness. may you increase, and may i decrease.

selah

Hear my cry, O God,
    listen to my prayer;
 from the end of the earth I call to you
    when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
    that is higher than I,

for you have been my refuge,
    a strong tower against the enemy.

 Let me dwell in your tent forever!
    Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah
 For you, O God, have heard my vows;
    you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

Prolong the life of the king;
    may his years endure to all generations!
 May he be enthroned forever before God;
    appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!

 So will I ever sing praises to your name,
    as I perform my vows day after day.

Psalm 61

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

for the sake of the world

is it weird to believe that God actually enjoys dwelling among His own people? as we pray and as we worship, we don't just blindly direct our words of praise and adoration somewhere a million miles away somewhere in the heavens, hoping someone would hear it. no, not one word falls to the ground void. in fact, it travels to the throne room of God and reaches His ears, for He is waiting to come down and inhabit that activity.
oh, that i would be found expectant to see His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYZVpjQ5bAg&sns=tw

 God, for the sake of the world, burn like a fire in me. for the sake of my own soul, burn. Oh God, for the sake of the souls around me, burn. for the sake of my city, this nation, and this world, burn. let it be contagious.

so faithful, so kind

i love songs that proclaim who Jesus is--His characteristics, emotions, personality. the more i study His emotions towards me, the more i'm reminded what He is like. the more i know who He is, the more i love Him. the more i love Him, the more the trivial, temporary things of a self-centered world grow dim, and get lost in the eternity of an unchanging beautiful, faithful, tender, and kind God.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svuaVpC_iBM

hebrews 12

we were the joy set before Jesus when He endured the cross. as He was whipped, spat on, and jeered, He thought of us. as the nails were drove into His arms and legs, He thought of only one thing, the day that He would be able to spend eternity with you and me, His beloved. (john 17:24). the only thing that got Him through the pain was the joy at the sight of our face.

today, when i endure my cross, i think about His face. through the days of trial and tribulation, and the pain of denying myself, my sin, and emotions, i think about Him. through the struggles of life, the daily grind, and the days where i just want to quit, one thing gets me through--the thought of His face as He thought about me as He endured the weight of sin on His shoulders on that cross. that face sustains me when i can no longer sustain myself. His face is enough.

and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. for the joy set before him he endured the cross...consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VR84tYTlCA

it's a miracle

that after all these years, i'm still here, and i'm still reaching for You;
it's a miracle that i'm still in love. i love because You loved me first.
it's a miracle that my heart still burns, and i'm still lovesick. my heart continues to ache for Your return.

it's the testimony of Your leadership, God. for you to keep me won over in love til the end.