Various things have been going on lately, that assail my defenses & make me doubt my worth before God. It’s all too easy to measure myself by how others see me, especially those who don’t share my beliefs. By the criticism in their words, their gestures, or looks, sometimes I feel smaller, less able, less worthy.
But their opinions are not my yard stick! And they shouldn’t be yours either!
We shouldn’t sell ourselves short! God treasures each of us, & thus, we should treasure ourselves as His creations. Years ago, my self-esteem was so broken that I didn’t even feel worthy enough to pray for myself. My friends prayed for me, at a time when I couldn’t pray for myself. And over time, I learned to see myself as a beloved child of God. Not that I was so worthy, but that He loved me in spite of my unworthiness.
If you are feeling that way today, as if you’ve fallen too far, or that you are unworthy for His love, then you also need to learn to see yourself as God sees you. Yes, we are ALL unworthy of His love -- that is GRACE!
We don’t deserve His love, but He has given it to us anyway. We are sinners, but sinners that He Himself died for, & we are His beloved. What higher place could there ever be than to be saved by His grace & named as His Own?
So, I remind myself today as I remind you: Don’t sell yourself short, & don’t degrade yourself by falling for how the world sees us. Remember Who died for you, in Whose blood you have been washed, & Whose Name you bear.
Everybody’s doin’ it!
Everybody’s going out tonight!
All your friends are feelin’ it --
Whatever it is that makes you feel all right!
Everybody knows that anything goes,
And everything you want,
Well, it’s just across the line.
Step into the flow,
Go all the way tonight...
Don’t believe the lie!
Don’t buy in to what they sell you!
They’ll only make you cry!
I’ve been there, and I’m here to tell you --
What you’ve got is out of your soul,
Deep down you know the truth won’t hide!
Don’t believe the lie!
Don’t believe the lie!
Here comes the morning sun
Shining down on what you’ve done.
And all you feel is empty,
And you don’t know why it felt like so much fun.
Here comes that voice again,
And it’s acting like your friend,
Will it whisper in your ear,
“You fell too far this time”?
Don’t believe the lie!
Don’t buy in to what they sell you!
It’ll only make you cry!
I’ve been there, and I’m here to tell you,
What you’ve got is out of your soul,
Deep down you know the truth won’t hide!
Don’t believe the lie!
No, don’t believe the lie!
Like a thief, it will come to steal & kill & destroy!
Oh, but you don’t have to let it take your joy anymore!
You were meant for so much more than this!
You were meant for so much more than this!
I promise this! I promise this!
You were meant for SO MUCH MORE!
So don’t give in! No, don’t give in!
When you stand your ground, you won’t stand alone!
Don’t believe the lie!
Don’t buy in to what they sell you!
It’ll only make you cry!
Oh, I’ve been there, and I’m here to tell you,
What you’ve got is out of your soul,
Deep down you know the truth won’t hide!
So don’t believe the lie!
Oh, no, no, no, no, no!
No, don’t believe the lie!
You were meant for so much more than this!
You were meant for so much more than this!
I promise this! I promise this!
You were meant for SO MUCH MORE!
~”The Lie” by Matthew West (Album: Happy, 2004?)
KenaniahSings! is based on the song "Kenaniah" by Christian Rock band Petra. The song is derived from I Chron. 15:22,27, where Kenaniah sang before the Ark of the Covenant as it was brought into the Temple in Jerusalem. Altho Kenaniah served the Lord in a different way from many others, his contribution was vital & alive. KenaniahSings! will consider what it means to be a Christian & how each Christian contributes to the Body in their own unique way. Welcome!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Making A Choice
I’ve been reading this book of fiction (I won’t give its name, since I don’t want to provide free advertising) that has started making me feel really frustrated. It is clear from his writing that the author has an agenda, which includes attacking the basics of the Christian faith as mythology and self-delusion.
To say the least, the author & I are at opposite poles on this issue. But over the years, I’ve learned that you can’t force-feed someone the Christian faith. Until they change in their heart, a person is going to stay right where they CHOOSE to be.
No matter how much I pray, I also recognize that some will rebel against God’s call. And they’ve made their choice. I can’t make it for them. Because, when you get right down to it, it’s a personal thing between an individual and their God. Only God causes the planted seeds to sprout. I need to remember where I fit in the equation -- I plant, or water, but it is God who causes the growth.
It’s a personal thing,
And I find it odd
That you would question my believing
In a personal God!
I’m devout! I’m sincere!
Ask my mother if you doubt it!
I’m religious, but
I’d rather not get radical about it!
The old-time believers
Had timidity and grace,
But this new generation
Doesn’t know its place.
“You’re entitled to believe,”
Says the latest Gallup poll,
“But you mustn’t interfere --
That’s the government’s role!”
‘Cuz when you throw your hat in
The Bull Ring
You gotta know, know, know
It’s a personal thing!
And when it comes to
The Day of Reckoning,
He’s gonna say, “Uh, uh, uh!
It’s a personal thing!”
It’s a personal thing,
And I boldly state
That my views on morality
Will have to wait
Until my personal life’s
Out of the public eye,
With the limitations statute
To protect my alibi.
I’m devout! I’m sincere!
And I’m proud to say
That it’s had exactly NO effect
On who I am today!
I believe for the benefit of all mankind
In the total separation
Of church and mind!
‘Cuz when you throw your hat in
The Bull Ring
You gotta know, know, know
It’s a personal thing!
And when it comes to
The Day of Reckoning,
He’s gonna say, “Uh, uh, uh!
It’s a personal thing!”
It's a personal thing, and I plainly speak
(with the same code of ethics that I held last week)
As I promised, if elected this election day,
With the help of God almighty...I'll do it my way!
‘Cuz when you throw your hat in
The Bull Ring
You gotta know, know, know
It’s a personal thing!
And when it comes to
The Day of Reckoning,
He’s gonna say, “Back off, buddy!
It’s a personal thing!”
~~”It’s A Personal Thing” by Steve Taylor (Album: On the Fritz, 1985)
To say the least, the author & I are at opposite poles on this issue. But over the years, I’ve learned that you can’t force-feed someone the Christian faith. Until they change in their heart, a person is going to stay right where they CHOOSE to be.
No matter how much I pray, I also recognize that some will rebel against God’s call. And they’ve made their choice. I can’t make it for them. Because, when you get right down to it, it’s a personal thing between an individual and their God. Only God causes the planted seeds to sprout. I need to remember where I fit in the equation -- I plant, or water, but it is God who causes the growth.
It’s a personal thing,
And I find it odd
That you would question my believing
In a personal God!
I’m devout! I’m sincere!
Ask my mother if you doubt it!
I’m religious, but
I’d rather not get radical about it!
The old-time believers
Had timidity and grace,
But this new generation
Doesn’t know its place.
“You’re entitled to believe,”
Says the latest Gallup poll,
“But you mustn’t interfere --
That’s the government’s role!”
‘Cuz when you throw your hat in
The Bull Ring
You gotta know, know, know
It’s a personal thing!
And when it comes to
The Day of Reckoning,
He’s gonna say, “Uh, uh, uh!
It’s a personal thing!”
It’s a personal thing,
And I boldly state
That my views on morality
Will have to wait
Until my personal life’s
Out of the public eye,
With the limitations statute
To protect my alibi.
I’m devout! I’m sincere!
And I’m proud to say
That it’s had exactly NO effect
On who I am today!
I believe for the benefit of all mankind
In the total separation
Of church and mind!
‘Cuz when you throw your hat in
The Bull Ring
You gotta know, know, know
It’s a personal thing!
And when it comes to
The Day of Reckoning,
He’s gonna say, “Uh, uh, uh!
It’s a personal thing!”
It's a personal thing, and I plainly speak
(with the same code of ethics that I held last week)
As I promised, if elected this election day,
With the help of God almighty...I'll do it my way!
‘Cuz when you throw your hat in
The Bull Ring
You gotta know, know, know
It’s a personal thing!
And when it comes to
The Day of Reckoning,
He’s gonna say, “Back off, buddy!
It’s a personal thing!”
~~”It’s A Personal Thing” by Steve Taylor (Album: On the Fritz, 1985)
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Of Greater Value
I’m one of the lucky public employees who gets to take six unpaid days off before the end of September, meaning a substantial loss of income in the next few months. My first reaction after this new revelation was utter PANIC!! Compared to the many who have lost their jobs, I am still very fortunate. But finances have already been tight lately, & the prospect of stretching even further was melting my brain!
Eventually, good sense began to seep through the panic, as I realized a very salient fact: Our Lord has never let me down. Psalm 37:25 says “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his descendants begging bread.” Not that I’m OLD, mind you, but the concept certainly holds!
Last week after the swans were killed, I took great comfort in Matthew 10:29: “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.” This verse tells me that God knows where those swans are now, whether it be in “swan heaven” or not. He knew them every moment of their lives as their Creator. This brings some solace in my sadness over their loss.
Today, as I considered the financial struggles that lie ahead, I received even more comfort from the verses following: “But the very hairs on your head are numbered. So do not fear, you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:30-31, NAS) These verses tell me that, if our Father loves & cares for the sparrows (& the swans!), He certainly will love & take care of me too!
I think sometimes we all forget how much God loves & values us. It’s humbling to receive that love, realizing how unworthy I am. For me today, it helps me see that I can rest in peace, knowing that He will provide for me.
Take this world from me,
I don’t need it anymore.
I am finally free --
My heart is spoken for.
Oh! And I praise You!
Oh! And I worship You!
Covered by Your Love Divine,
Child of the Risen Lord!
To hear You say, “This one’s Mine!”
My heart is spoken for.
Now I have a peace
That I’ve never known before.
I find myself complete --
My heart is spoken for!
Oh! And I praise You!
Oh! And I worship You!
Covered by Your Love Divine,
Child of the Risen Lord!
To hear You say, “This one’s Mine!”
My heart is spoken for.
By the power of the Cross,
You’ve taken what was lost
And made it fully Yours!
And I have been redeemed
By You, Who spoke to me,
Now I am spoken for!
Covered by Your Love Divine,
Child of the Risen Lord!
To hear You say, “This one’s Mine!”
My heart is spoken for, yeah!
Covered by Your Love Divine,
Child of the Risen Lord!
To hear You say, “This one’s Mine!”
My heart is spoken for.
Take this world from me,
I don’t need it anymore...
~~”Spoken For” by MercyMe (Album: Spoken For, 2003?)
Eventually, good sense began to seep through the panic, as I realized a very salient fact: Our Lord has never let me down. Psalm 37:25 says “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his descendants begging bread.” Not that I’m OLD, mind you, but the concept certainly holds!
Last week after the swans were killed, I took great comfort in Matthew 10:29: “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.” This verse tells me that God knows where those swans are now, whether it be in “swan heaven” or not. He knew them every moment of their lives as their Creator. This brings some solace in my sadness over their loss.
Today, as I considered the financial struggles that lie ahead, I received even more comfort from the verses following: “But the very hairs on your head are numbered. So do not fear, you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:30-31, NAS) These verses tell me that, if our Father loves & cares for the sparrows (& the swans!), He certainly will love & take care of me too!
I think sometimes we all forget how much God loves & values us. It’s humbling to receive that love, realizing how unworthy I am. For me today, it helps me see that I can rest in peace, knowing that He will provide for me.
Take this world from me,
I don’t need it anymore.
I am finally free --
My heart is spoken for.
Oh! And I praise You!
Oh! And I worship You!
Covered by Your Love Divine,
Child of the Risen Lord!
To hear You say, “This one’s Mine!”
My heart is spoken for.
Now I have a peace
That I’ve never known before.
I find myself complete --
My heart is spoken for!
Oh! And I praise You!
Oh! And I worship You!
Covered by Your Love Divine,
Child of the Risen Lord!
To hear You say, “This one’s Mine!”
My heart is spoken for.
By the power of the Cross,
You’ve taken what was lost
And made it fully Yours!
And I have been redeemed
By You, Who spoke to me,
Now I am spoken for!
Covered by Your Love Divine,
Child of the Risen Lord!
To hear You say, “This one’s Mine!”
My heart is spoken for, yeah!
Covered by Your Love Divine,
Child of the Risen Lord!
To hear You say, “This one’s Mine!”
My heart is spoken for.
Take this world from me,
I don’t need it anymore...
~~”Spoken For” by MercyMe (Album: Spoken For, 2003?)
Monday, May 4, 2009
A Kind Heart
It’s been tough to write a blog entry for the past few days, because I’ve been so upset about something that I found it difficult to find words.
I was raised to appreciate the beauty of nature around me. One of the most beautiful sights in recent days has been a pair of majestic swans that nested in a wildlife area around the corner from my house. I would drive by their pond each morning & night, just for the joy of watching them float across the water so gracefully. In my very hectic life, watching them brought a moment of serenity. So I was thrilled when they built a nest & prepared to bring little swans into the world. I hoped we would be privileged to see these babies swimming by their parents as they grew up.
I was devastated beyond words a few days later when I learned that the female swan was dead. A couple of days after that, the male was gone. We have coyotes & some wild dogs locally, so we presumed that she had been killed by one of those, & the male had then flown away. Two years ago, we lost a male swan similarly, with his body found along the side of the road. Such a sad, terrible loss to us, to have enjoyed that beauty for so short a time, only to lose them.
There are no words for my incredible shock & horror when I learned that those swans had not died from predators, but by man’s own hand, with the sanctioning of my own state government! They were, apparently, a “non-native species”, & so my own government (my own employer, in fact!) deemed that they should die. Discovering this made me physically sick.
Now, I’ve been raised to love wildlife. I also believe that when God gave us dominion over the creatures, such dominion entails a significant responsibility. So I have been heartsick for days over what happened to those swans. Truth be told, the difference between me in my earlier years & me NOW is that I am now savvy enough to know how to take action in effective ways. I won’t elaborate on my action plan here, but suffice it to say that I have had several days to try to regain my balance since this sad thing occurred.
The song I’m sharing today is one I’ve known since I was a teenager. I loved it then, & it seems appropriate today. I think that even some secular songs can spur us to godly action & reflection.
Micah 6:8 says “He has told you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
May we do more justice and love more kindness in our world today.
Bless the beasts and the children
For in this world they have no voice
They have no choice
Bless the beasts and the children
For the world can never be
The world they see
Light their way when the darkness surrounds them
Give them love, let it shine all around them
Bless the beasts and the children
Give them shelter from the storm
Keep them safe, keep them warm
Light their way when the darkness surrounds them
Give them love, let it shine all around them
Bless the beasts and the children
Give them shelter from the storm
Keep them safe, keep them warm
~~"Bless the Beasts and the Children" By Perry L Botkin, Jr. / Barry De Vorzon -- Sung by The Carpenters
I was raised to appreciate the beauty of nature around me. One of the most beautiful sights in recent days has been a pair of majestic swans that nested in a wildlife area around the corner from my house. I would drive by their pond each morning & night, just for the joy of watching them float across the water so gracefully. In my very hectic life, watching them brought a moment of serenity. So I was thrilled when they built a nest & prepared to bring little swans into the world. I hoped we would be privileged to see these babies swimming by their parents as they grew up.
I was devastated beyond words a few days later when I learned that the female swan was dead. A couple of days after that, the male was gone. We have coyotes & some wild dogs locally, so we presumed that she had been killed by one of those, & the male had then flown away. Two years ago, we lost a male swan similarly, with his body found along the side of the road. Such a sad, terrible loss to us, to have enjoyed that beauty for so short a time, only to lose them.
There are no words for my incredible shock & horror when I learned that those swans had not died from predators, but by man’s own hand, with the sanctioning of my own state government! They were, apparently, a “non-native species”, & so my own government (my own employer, in fact!) deemed that they should die. Discovering this made me physically sick.
Now, I’ve been raised to love wildlife. I also believe that when God gave us dominion over the creatures, such dominion entails a significant responsibility. So I have been heartsick for days over what happened to those swans. Truth be told, the difference between me in my earlier years & me NOW is that I am now savvy enough to know how to take action in effective ways. I won’t elaborate on my action plan here, but suffice it to say that I have had several days to try to regain my balance since this sad thing occurred.
The song I’m sharing today is one I’ve known since I was a teenager. I loved it then, & it seems appropriate today. I think that even some secular songs can spur us to godly action & reflection.
Micah 6:8 says “He has told you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
May we do more justice and love more kindness in our world today.
Bless the beasts and the children
For in this world they have no voice
They have no choice
Bless the beasts and the children
For the world can never be
The world they see
Light their way when the darkness surrounds them
Give them love, let it shine all around them
Bless the beasts and the children
Give them shelter from the storm
Keep them safe, keep them warm
Light their way when the darkness surrounds them
Give them love, let it shine all around them
Bless the beasts and the children
Give them shelter from the storm
Keep them safe, keep them warm
~~"Bless the Beasts and the Children" By Perry L Botkin, Jr. / Barry De Vorzon -- Sung by The Carpenters
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