Savior, Please

"I try to be so tough

But I'm just not strong enough

I can't do this alone, 
God I need You to hold on to me

I try to be good enough

But I'm nothing without Your love

Savior, please keep saving me"

Driving along, this song came on the radio. How many times have you tried to live your life all for yourself without any help? I know that I struggle with control over pretty much anything I do.

But, no matter how much we try to console ourselves and defend our actions, we are still attempting the impossible. 

God is here for us, yet we still try to live for ourselves.

After the first time I heard it, I had been listening to this song non-stop. Okay, maybe a little less frequently, but still. Please take the time to listen to it "Savior, Please" by Josh Wilson, it may open your heart to something God wants to say.

Cleaning My Heart

     I went on a little journey today. I realized a sin in my life, getting caught up in worldly living, and I was confronted about it. I went through a lot of emotional turmoil in the aftermath.

     In this realization, I went to the Bible and came across the passage 1 John 1:8-10 which reads, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His Word has no place in us."

     Even in my brokenness, He is faithful and forgiving. I don't deserve His love.

     I took the time to sit outside in my backyard for some quiet time of reflection. I sat next to a flowerbed, if it can even be called that, full of weeds and without even realizing it, I began to pull the weeds, one by one, from the soil. This was a significant moment for me because I realized the analogy with my own life. At that moment, I was figuratively plucking the weeds from my heart. But, I wasn't alone. He was there, helping me, cleaning my heart alongside me.

     I was listening to (and belting out) Hillsong United's "Search My Heart", "Bones", and "Forever Reign". He truly was searching my heart and cleaning out the bad. Sections of lyrics really stuck out to me and hit me right in the heart...

"You took the cross, You took my shame

Restored my life, Lord, I will follow You..."

"Without you I am nothing"

"...You are true even in my wandering"

"Take me as I am,

Awaken my heart to beat again"

     After those moments singing and pulling weeds, I turned to my left to see a manifestation of God providing for us. There stood a blueberry bush. I proceeded to pick blueberries and pop them into my mouth, savoring the glorious blue fruit. 

     In a way, the flowerbed was my heart and the blueberries were the visual representation that God forgives me and loves me. After that powerful moment, I couldn't not share it. 

     Take my life as an example... When you realize a sin in your life, you may not need to pull weeds in your backyard to clean your heart, but whatever you do, know He is there for you to forgive you and comfort you. He will wipe those blemishes from your heart. Bring anything and everything to Him and the experience you have may surprise you. 

Are you comfortable?

Yesterday, Seth King, youth pastor at Countryside Christian Church led a very moving discussion about living as a Christian. The big questions were, "Are you living like you need God? Like you need the Bible?" and, "What are you doing for Christ that makes you uncomfortable?".

Well, these questions got me thinking. Have I been living the cushy life? I have food on the table multiple times a day, I have a home, I have a job and transportation... what am I missing? If I went on with life right now but didn't acknowledge God, would I be able to survive? I think I might. That isn't a good sign.

As a Christian, it is my responsibility to the world to live like Christ and to live like I need Him. If I am not following that, then what am I doing that is for Christ?

That's where things need to change. I'm guessing that many of us like to have life planned out to an extent. We have a plan for the future and we have an ideal lifestyle. Well, what if all of those things that we deem as within our "comfort zone" and within our plan for life began to change?

I suppose talking to people about Christ isn't something all of us find easy and like an everyday sort of occurence. If that's you, like it is me, then maybe we need to start branching out a bit. Sharing the Good News isn't always such a daunting task. Pray about it, ask God to give you the strength you need to bring about change in your circle of influence. Maybe you will end up planting the seed in someone's heart that turns into that tree. That tree could end up sharing God's message with more and more people, planting seeds here and there in the hearts of others.

Imagine one tiny apple seed - that's all it takes to plant a tree. So, if we take the time to plant seeds in people's hearts throughout our lives - maybe just one every month or just as it comes - then the people around us will see our likeness in Christ and that we love people. And that love will spread into more figurative trees.

If you are having trouble with this concept, take a moment to picture someone planting a seed... if you feel like you lack the proper tools to plant seeds in people's hearts, take a moment to ask God for the strength, wisdom, words, or anything you may need to work on to be able to be that disciple of the Lord. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and him to who knocks, the door will be opened." Matt. 7:7

Then, like the disciples of the Lord from the Bible, maybe a seed that you plant will grow into a beautiful tree, one that has branches to plant seeds in more hearts than you yourself could reach. That is the goal here. If we all step just a bit out of our comfort zones to talk to one or two people every once in a while or just act like Christ, we may be able to plant seeds to grow into trees to spread to more and more people. And just like that, God's Good News can spread beyond our wildest dreams.

Now, what do you think of that? If we all live like we need Christ and step a bit out of our comfort zones, we could reach numerous people with His Word! And even if we only reach one heart, then everything, all of the uncomfortable situations, are worth it.

So, what do you say? Are you with me? Let's go out into the world and live like Christ. Let's show the world what love is and plant some seeds! Maybe it will help one person. Maybe it will help thousands. Either way, making a difference in the Lord is worth everything.

*Pictures found via google images

*Matthew 7:7