Maturity Modeled for the Mind

I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Phil 4:10-13)

I recently read through the book of Philippians and this chunk of Paul’s letter really stuck out to me. I love how it shows so clearly and in such simple and easy language what Paul’s attitude is. I realize that I need to learn, as Paul had learned, to be content whatever the circumstances. Just like Paul, I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. Usually I am content when I have plenty, but lately I’ve been struggling with being content when I am in need. I can sure understand why Paul calls it a secret! Until now I’ve maybe thought that when I am need I should pray and my need will be met, just like that. But Paul is talking about being in need. God may have a plan for you where he leads you into a place of need. In the same way He lead the nation of Israel into a desperate place of need, trapped at the edge of the Red Sea with nowhere to go! They needed escape! They needed deliverance! And God took them there for the time He would take to meet their need. God could’ve made them wait until the Egyptian army was almost upon them to open the seas, or He could have opened them as soon as they got there. Maybe today you have a need in your life that you want to be able to say that you are content with “being in.” Maybe it’s something that will be met very soon and maybe God will choose to wait a long time to meet your need. And just maybe He’ll change your attitude to realize that you aren’t in need or that you felt you needed something that you really didn’t need. Whatever your situation is today, whatever our circumstances are, we need to learn that secret that Paul sought to share with the Philippians in his letter. How can we be content in need? How can we be content when we are hungry? How can we be content when we feel alone? How can we be content when we have a serious financial need? How can we be content when need to know what we are supposed to do in a certain situation or what path to choose in a road ahead of us?

I’m glad Paul decided to share the secret with us : ) . Otherwise I’d be saying, “This is not fun. This is not fun.” So what’s the big secret Paul? I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Hmm…let’s unpack that. By itself it’s a very nice thought, but without the context you could miss so much! Paul is saying whatever the situation, for whatever reason, for however long it lasts, you can be content! Because, you can do everything through Jesus Christ who gives you strength! Yes! You can be content when you are in need and when you have plenty, when you are hungry and when you are well fed, when you are alone and when you are in fellowship, when you are in serious need of money and the time is running out for it to be paid, when you don’t know what to do in that certain situation or when you don’t know which path to choose in that road ahead of you. Yes, you can be content through all of this, you can do neediness, through Jesus Christ who gives you strength.

What an awesome encouragement! Paul points us straight to the Lord for everything and anything that may have to go through. This week, I’ve got my share of needs, some of which will be met and others of which I will have to continue to live in. This week, you will have your needs some of which will be met and others of which I will have to continue to live in. We’ve got to strive to remember that we can be in those needs and do all the things that God has called us to do, through the strength that He gives us! We must draw near to God to find that strength! We must let Christ in us be the strength and energy that we need to serve our God and bring glory to Jesus. Join with me this week in seeking after the mind of Christ!

Love Song For A Saviour

in open fields of wild flowers
she breathes the air and flies away
she thanks her Jesus for the daises and the roses
in no simple language
someday she'll understand the meaning of it all
he's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
as close a heartbeat or a song on her lips
someday she'll trust him and learn how to see him
someday he'll call her and she will come running
and fall in his arms and the tears will fall down and she'll pray

i want to fall in love with you

sitting silent wearing sunday best
the sermon echoes through the walls
a great salvation through it calls to the people
who stare into nowhere, and can't feel the chains on their souls

he's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens
as close a heartbeat or a song on our lips
someday we'll trust him and learn how to see him
someday he'll call us and we will come running
and fall in his arms and the tears will fall down and we'll pray

i want to fall in love with you

it seems too easy to call you "Savior"
not close enough to call you "God"
so as i sit and think of words i can mention
to show my devotion

i want to fall in love with you

my heart beats for you

-Jars of Clay-

May our attitude be that of Christ - Exploring Oursleves

I just read this really cool article on another blog called "Deep Calls to Deep". Click the link below to read it. It's not too long and it's so neat!

May our attitude be that of Christ - Exploring Oursleves

“Float Her Basket Over the Sea”

This last week I’ve pretty much been listening to one song over and over again. It’s a song called “the orphan” by the Newsboys. It’s a beautiful song musically and lyrically, and this time…I can’t let you just get away with reading the lyrics. The song is full of beautiful imagery about Moses and Abraham that will bring a smile to your face. You can listen to the song by right clicking on the link below and selecting “open”.

The Orphan

And here are the lyrics so you can read as you listen:

maybe I push when I'm meant to be still

maybe I take it all to personal

Jesus, how to reconcile

the joyful noise

the ancient land

the tug from some invisible hand

the dying mother weaving bulrushes

along the Nile

CHORUS:

float her basket over the sea

here on a barren shore

we'll be waiting for

a tailwind to carry her (an) orphan's cry

don't you worry, child

I wrote a lullaby

I try to settle, but I just pass through

a rain dog, gypsy

a wandering Jew

all those homes were not ours

then I slept one night

in Abraham's field

and dreamt there was no moon

the night he died

counting stars

Selah

- CHORUS -

BRIDGE:

building you a home

building you a home

building you a home

we're building you a home

Selah

- CHORUS -

float her basket over the sea

here on a barren shore

we'll be waiting for

a tailwind to bring us your sweet cry

don't you worry, child

I'm gonna sing you a lullaby

So at the beginning of the week I didn’t get the song at all. I figured out that the song was mostly about how Moses’ mom put him in a basket and floated him out into the Nile river, but other than that I really didn’t know what it was about. Especially, when it almost out of no where throws in Abraham. Now I could explain to you all of the awesome imagery about Moses and Abraham, but I am going to focus on the first line of the chorus since that is what really spoke to me this week.

As written in the book of Exodus, Pharaoh decides that the Jews are getting to be too numerous in the land of Egypt and so he decides to kill all of the baby boys. Among the baby boys was 3-month-year-old Moses. When Moses’ mother could no longer hide him from the Egyptians and certain death, she made a basket, placed him in it, and put it in the Nile river.

It was the song above that prompted me to really think about what Moses’ mother would have been thinking and feeling as she did this. She was probably full of anxiety as she hid Moses in her house for fear that the next knock on the door would be Egyptian soldiers come to search her house for the child. She must have loved Moses so dearly and the worst thing that could happen was for him to be killed by the Egyptians. She loved this child so much that she took a huge leap of faith to protect him. It was a sacrifice that was probably harder for her than any other, and that was… to give the child up to the Nile river. Can you imagine having to place your own child or a dearly loved one into a basket and float them out into the sea?

Where this song and this story really hit home for me, is how they apply to my life. I spent this last week thinking about the things and the people that are dear to me. Those things are sometimes things that take God’s place in my life when I’m not careful, be they blessings or not. And so the chorus of this song became a call to sweet surrender for me. “Float her basket over the sea…” Who or what do I love that I need to be willing to let go of? Who or what do I need to place in that basket in faith that I may never see them again? What a beautiful picture of surrender! To put those that I love and even myself in that surrendered position of all vulnerability, is the call I received from this song.

There are so many things that I felt drawn to place in that basket. Like my friends, family, relationships, time, strength, mind, heart, and everything! By doing so, I will be the orphan. It’s scary and challenging at the same time. Can I surrender all of this and trust that God will guide my basket boat safely to shore? Absolutely. God is a trustworthy and faithful God to the infinite degree. Though it seem like a daunting daily task, we are called to be living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1). Will you join with me and together “float her basket over the sea”?