Thursday, May 27, 2010

We Are Waiting

One of my pastors has been doing a sermon series over the past number of months on prayer and of the fundamental role ASKING should play in a Christian's prayer life. It has been an incredibly fruitful season for our church in which many individuals have experienced a revitalization of their prayer lives and intimacy with God (myself included).

About two months ago he preached specifically on the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead. But the point he stressed (or which came across most strongly to me) was the excruciating delay which Jesus allowed himself, once hearing the news, before traveling to see Lazarus and his family. The practical application for our lives is that we often find ourselves, like those who loved Lazarus, in a state of waiting which we are powerless to change. And yet God will accomplish something good in the end of it all. Even if Lazarus should die, Jesus will show himself to be the resurrection and the life. We can wait patiently and pray fervently... these two are not mutually exclusive.

So these thoughts are what prompted this song...

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We are waiting God for You to respond
We are asking in Your name
We will stand and knock 'till your kingdom comes
'Till the nations know Your praise

And O to hear You say the final "Amen"
When You renew us unto life without end
But even now we pray Your kingdom come down

Holy King of love reigning over us
Jesus You will come again
Let Your kingdom come, let Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven

We are waiting, we are waiting for You...
We are asking, we are asking for You...

Thursday, May 20, 2010

This World Has Nothing For Me

A lot of songs I've been writing recently have been about the idea of being "crucified with Christ." What does it mean to be crucified with him, or to be crucified to the world? What does this look like? For me it has seemed to look like a gradually decreasing desire to find my life in this world or to fulfill myself here. This song is a very simple one, and most of the words are not my own, but taken almost directly from scriptures that have prompted this meditation (Galatians 2:20; 6:14; Philippians 1:21-24).

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This world has nothing for me
I am crucified with Christ
This world has nothing for me
Since that glorious day I died

My will it is to know him
My longing is to see his face
In waiting I will love him
Now to live is Christ, to die is gain