A Broken Record

Sometimes, when I read other people's blogs, I feel like mine sounds like a broken record. I feel like the words I say are the same thing over and over again. Encouraging, challenging, admonishing... but all to the same end.  Today in my bible reading I had a bit of an epiphany - God has given me a passion and it is out of that passion - I write.

If you know me, I am through and through - a worship leader! Try as I might, I could not find a succinct definition of what a worship leader is (they were all very long and would probably bore you), but if I tried to put words to it, it would be: a person who leads by example, with their lives, on and off stage to guide or encourage others in to the presence of the Almighty God. My happy place is being in the presence of the Lord. I LONG for others to have that experience as well and my heart weeps for those who have never experienced it or choose not to go to that place, for what ever reason.

So today, as I was reading in the Psalms, I decided that it is OK if the words I type on these pages have a theme to them. They reflect the theme of my life and what God is putting on my heart. Let's face it, I am not a very complicated girl. I'm kind of "what you see is what you get." My prayer is that somehow, God would use these words to not only work in my heart and change me, but He would do the same for you. 

WOW - what a set up - this part better be good!

This morning I was reading Psalm 103, I encourage you to read the whole thing, but there were a couple parts that stood out to me. It begins:  

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

When I think about my soul, I think about the very deepest part of me. It is not superficial, it not surface, it is not something that is easily brushed aside. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and ALL that is within me, bless His holy name!"

Moving down a few more verses it says this:

He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

Thank you Jesus, that you remember I am just dust. I am weak and frail and as much as I long to please Him, I fail. But His love for me is so very great, that when I come to Him in repentance from my very soul, He removes those failures as far as the east is from the west. One of my favorite lines from the new CD by my friend, Carlos Whittaker says, "I am the sum of failing and grace." So true. Thank God for His grace!

So, the broken record of a worship leader in me says WORSHIP HIM TODAY, with all that is within you. Bless His name for the grace He has shown you, bless His name for the transforming power of His love, bless His name for the gift of His son, and on and and on and on... If you are not in the place where you can do that, figure out why - and then move toward Him. Just don't go about your day without getting in touch with your very soul and seeing what it worships. It worships something - is it the right thing?

Get in to His presence and stay there!