Soundtrack

Pastor Tom hit on this a couple of weeks ago. If you had to pick a soundtrack for your life - a song or a couple of songs - what would they be and why?

Some that have defined me in the past:
In times of faith struggle - Straylight Run: For the Best
and U2: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
When everything thing seems to be a jumbled mess in my head - Audioslave: Doesn't Remind Me
Trying to start over after messing up - Augustana: Boston
Depression - any song by Jakob Dylan or the Wallflowers

Today I would say two songs- The Beatles: Let It Be

I am the king of worry. There are none that parallel my prowess when it comes to anxiety. God knows this about me. In fact He is probably amused by the lengths that I will go to obsess over a simple issue. Yet He is there always saying "let it be", for He is in control. Sometimes I feel pretty small for the way I don't trust. So thanks to John, Paul, George and Ringo for reminding me that I don't have to be big because God is.

Straylight Run: Your Name (Sunrise Highway)

This is a song about direction. I want to pretend that I have it all together, as though I have arrived. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have so much growing to do. Standing in the face of change is scary. You look at past mistakes and think "well it's not my fault because _________". Then the longer you look, the more you realize that it is your fault and you need to change. Everything about us resists change and growth. Look at Jonah, Moses, Abraham, and countless other reluctant leaders in scripture. Excuses, resistance, reasons, cop outs, whatever it takes.

What is your soundtrack?

Honesty before God

There is no fooling God. He sees us for who we are. The truth of our sin and the beauty of our newness in Christ.

Christ asks the disciples "Who do you say that I am?"

I think we need to ask ourselves the same question. "Who am I?"

When we are honest we can begin to leave behind the past and live more fully in Christ.

It is a constant examination of the soul. St. Ignatius called it awareness. St. Paul calls us to do it constantly.

Today make your prayer one of honesty. Confess your sin in full. See the new creation you are in Christ. Living in truth. Let your light shine.

Awe

One of the great debates lately is whether scripture is relevant. Does God still have something to say? Or is God still relevant?

I have a question that might help us - What is awe? What inspires, shocks, gives greater meaning, knocks us off our feet, grabs us, throws us into the sacred?

The experience of the shepherds in the fields...awe

God speaking life into existance...awe

David taking on a giant...awe

Paul giving thanks from a jail cell...awe

A sunrise, a sunset, a quiet moment, a prayer, a moment of peace, a hug...awe

What is your moment of awe? God is the originator of all this. Looking back in your life, when you see the amazing above the mundane, there God is.

Exhausted

definition - to be consumed entirely

Yup. That's where I am. It's been a long year. A year in which I have lost family and friends. A year in which I have worried for the health of those around me. A year of retreats, youth groups, concerts, corn mazes, devotions, river floats, youth rallys, silence, lock-in's, pizza, mini-golf, prayers, song, meetings, worship, laughter, mission trips, reading, training, deep conversations, text messaging, instant messaging, email messaging, voice messenging...

So I have to ask, why? Why do we do any of these things? There is only one reason - Christ.

Christ our redeemer - who purchased us in blood.

Christ our brother - who embraces us when we fall.

Christ our comforter - who knows the tears we cry.

Christ our Savior - who gave all that we might live.

As the year comes to and end let us find rest in Christ.