Eye Wide Open

A few years back, my daughter wrote a tale (with a small amount of assistance) for a school project about an imaginary creature called a Cy-cat. This particular cat had only one eye that was half-opened, got frustrated with the problems in his life and ran away from home. Even his mother with the big huge eye in the back of her head did not see him run away! (Yes, laughed hard as I read her story!) Along the way, the Cy-cat met a wise Cyclop, who had one large eye wide open and spoke the truth to him about why it wasn’t a good idea to run away from his problems. After leaving this creature and deciding to follow his advice, he got lost…then the Eagle of the Lion (a.k.a. Angel of the Lord) soared over him to help him find his way back home, physically and spiritually. All of a sudden, the Cy-cat’s one half-opened eye was opened wide to the truth, and he was able to run home to his family with repentance, thankfulness and joy.


Wow, what a story! And for us, what a picture. Personally speaking, I can’t even count the number of times I have run away from my problems and my stress, whether physically, emotionally or spiritually…And it’s usually when my eyes and my heart are only half-opened to the Lord’s truths. How about you? Please think soberly about this one.

Let’s take a moment to ponder some of the physical things we run to when we have problems or stress. Maybe it’s friends….food….fitness….fashion? TV, chat rooms…..sleep?

What about our emotions? Where do they go? Maybe they roll off our tongues with anger or send us to the pit of our stomachs with guilt or worry…depression….apathy?

While we’re still on the metaphorical run, what is happening to us spiritually? As we jog back and forth, in and out of all these forks in the road in a desperate attempt to find “the way we should go,” what is the result of the vertical relationship between us and our Lord?

Last but not least, what are the things that trigger us to run in the first place? Whether it be stress or problems or persecution—or whether it be our own sin or just plain boredom, we would be wise to follow the advice of the One whose eyes AND arms are always wide open to us. According to Psalm 32:6-10, He doesn’t want us to wait until we feel the need to run. He wants us to ask and receive right now:

“Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to you while You may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you…the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him."
Psalm 32:6-10

Let’s apply these truths as we pray to Him, hide ourselves in Him, be controlled through Him, and joyfully sing of Him today. As we continually focus on Him with the “cy-eye” of our hearts wide open, we’ll be aware of His provision for us when the mighty waters arise—and we’ll have nowhere else we’d rather run than into the extended arms of unfailing love—the arms of our Daddy. There’s no place like home.

“Father, You are my hiding place, and I rest in that fact today. Help me to take advantage of every opportunity to pray to You and to seek You first with my eyes wide open to Your truth. Help me to stay hidden with You at home where I belong… In Your Unfailing Love I rest and Your Secure Name I pray, Amen.”

In the Key of HE,

Lifesong In The Limelight/Josh Janoski

I truly believe that a person's testimony, salvation or otherwise, is one of the most powerful expressions of the Christian faith. I thrive on hearing God-stories. When I had my blog giveaway/contest, I asked for testimonies based on songs affecting one's faith. Well, people submitted, and I was moved. That's where "Lifesong In the Limelight" on Saturdays was born.

Josh from Just Joshing blew me away with this testimony, and it is such an encouraging one that will hopefully help someone who needs to hear it today. If you want to know someone who loves to encourage, desires to passionately pursue Christ and who has a great sense of humor, then you need to know Josh. He's a phenomenal writer and a faithful Christian friend to me and so many others in the online Christian community. For all of these reasons and more, I'm so privileged to feature him as this Saturday's

God Speaking Through Song - Who Am I?

The first time I heard this song, I wasn’t all that inspired, because to be honest, I wasn’t really listening to the words closely and absorbing the song’s message. However, during June 2007, I found myself fighting a deep depression that caused me to not want to leave my apartment. My mother had given me a Casting Crowns CD, and I decided to play it. The song "Who Am I?" was one of the songs to come on, and I immediately recognized the tune, but this time I decided to listen to the words closely.

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Lord of all the Earth. That’s a big position. And yet He takes time to know my name? To feel what I am feeling? He understands this depression I am experiencing?

Bright and morning star. Wow! He could choose to horde His light from me but instead He lights my path and steers my heart in the direction that it needs to go. Why am I depressed if God has my path laid out perfectly?

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I’m so worthless. Why leave this apartment and go outside to a world that doesn’t care…but wait a minute. HE CARES! Why? After all I’ve done to hurt Him and other people, how can He love me? I guess it’s not because of who I am, but because of who He is. It’s His loving nature shining through. It’s not anything that I’ve done to deserve this, it’s what He did. He made the sacrifice. He bore the sin and shame.

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

My life here is temporary. I am getting older every day. Each breath takes me closer to my last breath. I am but a tiny grain of sand on a large stretch of beach, but He hears me when I cry out to Him! He understands this pain I am experiencing right now. He is listening to me. He wants me to seek His help and counsel.

Lord, help this flower that withers away! Lord, help me to take this time I have and not use it to be depressed or downtrodden! Let me use it to serve you! Catch me Lord as I take a dive backwards into this pit of despair! Catch me and pull me out!

What is that Lord? What did you say? I am…yours? You mean you take possession of me? Even though I feel like I have no one to turn to, you still claim me as your own? I’m yours? Really? I ask this and yet somehow in my heart I know it to be true. I am yours. I am a child of the Almighty God.

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

I am dirty. The weight of my sin bears down on me, leaving me weak and weathered. My hands are covered in the grime of this world that I have wallowed in for so long. I thought what I was doing would make me a better person, but instead my actions seek to haunt me and destroy me. Your eyes see my wrongdoings. You know all and see all, and yet, you don’t kick me when I’m already down. You watch me get back up using the strength of the hand that you have stretched out towards me.

I feel this storm inside me calming. I see you standing there and commanding this storm in my life to cease. I see now that no matter what I do, how I feel, or where I’m at, that I can trust in you. You care about this tiny grain of sand mixed in among millions of other grains.

I am a flower quickly fading
I am a wave tossed in the ocean
I am a vapor in the wind

But most of all…

I am Yours.

That right there is the message that carried me out of that depression and brought me back to the truth of God’s love for me. I hope that if you haven’t listened to this song that you do so, because I believe it will bless you just as it did me. it's strange, because I heard it on the radio yesterday after church, and I had just got done thinking about writing this post. I sang the song as I headed home, and I took the time to remember who I am in Jesus Christ.

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours

I am Yours
Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours

Josh is a 26 year old Network Administrator living in the beautiful mountain state of Colorado. When he's not tinkering with technology, Josh likes to read, exercise, play games, surf the Internet, and of course - write. He sees his writing as a ministry, given to him by God to help encourage people and lead them to the hope that is Jesus Christ. Whether it be through humor, fictional Biblical re-tellings, or non-fiction confessionals, Josh's goal is to put a smile on people's face and remind them of the love that God has for them. Please take time to visit his ministry website: Uplifting Words or his personal blog at Just Joshing.

In the Key of HE,

A Tune Set Free

The LORD your God is with you. He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with his love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

***************************************

To the one without a friend who feels all alone,
The LORD your God is with you.

To the one with many friends who never lets them close,
Know this--The LORD your God is with you.


If you’re stuck in a rut and can’t find anyone to trust,
HE is mighty--mighty to save.

If you’re unable to flee when temptation knocks again,
Stop--HE is mighty--mighty to save.


Do you ever feel unlovable, like others turn when you walk their way?
He will take great delight in you.

Do you ever feel useless, like no one needs you for much at all?
Remember—He will take great delight in you.


When your heart is screaming out and you’re angry at the world,
He will quiet you with His love.

When your voice is all but gone from crying out “Why, Lord?”
shhhhhhh…He will quiet you with his love.


Praise Him, even through the tears. He will rejoice over you.
If the tune is held hostage to the pain, you’ll find Him singing over you instead.


***************************************

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you;
He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

Worshipful song...reminding us that HE is "Mighty to Save" by Hillsong

In the Key of HE,

Got Guilt?

Sometimes it's a song that breaks through a stronghold.

For years, I had been given over to a guilt complex. Not for any one thing. Just for all kinds of things. I would take responsibility for situations that were not even mine to take on. I would ask for forgiveness for something, yet eat my guilt away in Hostess products. I prayed for it to go away, but I could not overcome it.

Then our worship pastor introduced this song. My eyelashes got a bath, as well as my whole face as I stood in awe over the lyrics and the melody. It was positively anointed. It reached through and healed my stronghold. Snap. Just like that. I wish I had a video of my church choir and vocalists singing it, but unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera for the souvenir moment. Aha, but I don't feel guilty. Instead, I go to God. Tube, that is. I found this video on GodTube, and it is powerful as well. Enjoy the powerful lyrics, and if you are a visual worshiper, the film clips as well:

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain,
that is, His body, and since we have a great priest
over the house of God,
let us draw near to God with a sincere heart
in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us
from a guilty conscience
and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess,
for He who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:19-23 (NIV)

No more guilt. Not me. When I fail, I go to the One who forgives and gives me help to turn from my sin. I will not bask on the waters of self-righteous, self-pitying guilt. I’ll put my trust in His powerful, loving salvation instead.