boy, I don't know why you run,
to make me believe you're standing still
while the courage of a thousand burning suns
sits weakened beneath your bill
I cannot pay.
I cannot pay for your shame.
and I cannot wait.
beauty isn't the only thing you see
and it can't be the only thing you need
but it will humble your bones
break at the knees,
and you will open up your bleeding eyes to see
what this really leads to.
man, take up your crown and run,
steady now, and certain with a wild, relentless will
you've been fashioned for this fight, this song
destined to reign and right these wrongs
and our hearts are waiting still
are waiting still for the sons of Men...
but I cannot stay.
fighting these tears as I pray.
beauty isn't the only thing you see
and it can't be the only thing you need
but it will humble your bones
break at the knees,
and you will open up your bleeding eyes to see
Who is really leading you...
you cannot wait.
and you cannot stay
fighting these fears, as the rest of us silently pray.
you are strong enough.
and you are good.
rise up.
take the courage of a thousand suns
burning in your chest
set ablaze your brothers and your sins
and, son of Man, we'll see this to the end...
Monday, August 23, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
a consecration that unveils destiny
a child within an ancient skin, with a smile to pierce the most hardened heart. eyes aflame with delight and desire. she dances free before the fire and there are no shadows here. consecration. consecration. nothing she owns, and nothing she lacks. her life lost to the furnace and crucifix. her name is consecration. her heart is clear as glass as she clasps hands with neglected destiny, and raises her up from the dust and rubble... together they run wild and beautiful and free...
two things keep revolving in my heart this month - consecration and destiny. I kept them separate in my head, as I considered each. I've an obsession with the Holy recently, considering the purity of the justice of God, left me wanting to understand more and more of His holiness. how far we are fallen, how far we are from realizing what is truly good and right and just. He is the only just judge. and His judgments are without fault, pure in motive and surrounded by His generous, abundant mercy. outside of His heart I cannot call anything "good" or "right" because I don't know the heart of the man behind it. the motives, the spirit, are only seen and perceived and understood rightly by God. in desperation to understand His holiness, to even seek His face in this question, I know it requires the consecration of my life. to look at my life through His eyes, and see what is detrimental to my walk, however small, however slight, even to the examination of the merely unnecessary things. to consecrate my heart, to say with my life, "just one thing is needed" - that I might have the honor of sitting at my Savior's feet, and seeing His face clearly. not a life of legalism, because we know the letter kills, but a life in the Spirit, the abundant life of focused freedom. because we aren't confused by the many voices vying for our attention, because we've focused our life and our hearts and our ears to hear but One Voice. because we do not dilute our souls with the world, because we would rather be empty and waiting for the pure love of God to come and fill us, than to look elsewhere for anything less. and He told me, you know, I have so much more love, so much better joy, if you could only receive it. I have so much more. I'm going to drown you in My love, and you will want for nothing else... not a life of "do's and don'ts", but a life that says, nothing else satisfies! nothing less satisfies! a life that recognizes the adventure of His heart and kingdom, and wants for nothing outside of His love. then, I thought about destiny. mainly how I feel like my destiny is intertwined with my friend's destiny, and just how cool I think that is :) trying to imagine what the Lord has up His sleeve for us :) I think about destiny the same ways I think about prophecy - that it's something to be realized, and once realized, it's something to be fought for. and the Lord just showed me how to fight for my destiny, my calling, is consecration. my life isn't strong enough to hold all the abundance the Lord longs to pour into it until it is consecrated. I noticed that as I took up this call to consecration, I not only saw Him more clearly - I saw my destiny more clearly. I saw promises long forgotten or lain aside rise up in my heart again and doors open in my life for the fulfillment of these promises. our destinies are wrapped up in Christ! and if we can't see Him for who He is through all the pollution and the confusion of compromise, we don't know who we are. but, in choosing a life near His altar, a life that does not hesitate to sacrifice possession and pride and comfort, in choosing to keep our hearts warm near His purifying fire... then all the extras melt away, and we reflect His likeness and we know our purpose. this is a call to consecration. because we have destinies that are being neglected. this nation has a destiny. this state has a destiny. this city has a destiny. you have a destiny. and I so want to see those destinies lived out and not wasted because I was too lazy or too complacent or too compromising in my convictions to reach for my destiny in Christ. it's work. it's not easy. but He's worthy. He's worthy of the sacrifice of our lives. of our time and energies and efforts. He worthy of a consecrated life. and in return He'll pour out every abundant blessing: "no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless." not because we deserve it. not because we get a pat on the back for being 'holy' and 'consecrated'. but because we know that we are without, and recognizing that and choosing to not turn to worldly things to fill our longings but choosing to call out to Him in our nothingness, His heart is moved and overwhelmed with love and desire to fill us with every good and perfect gift. I'll never understand the way He sees me. I'll never get it. but I don't have to. I just get to sit and soak in the wonder of it all! :)
I'm struck by the fact that I only have one life. one life here. one. not to live - but to give. because I give away my life to Him, and He just gives it right back, pressed down, shaken together and running over. we have but moments to give and see the glorious destiny He wants to give us in return - live a life worthy of the calling...
two things keep revolving in my heart this month - consecration and destiny. I kept them separate in my head, as I considered each. I've an obsession with the Holy recently, considering the purity of the justice of God, left me wanting to understand more and more of His holiness. how far we are fallen, how far we are from realizing what is truly good and right and just. He is the only just judge. and His judgments are without fault, pure in motive and surrounded by His generous, abundant mercy. outside of His heart I cannot call anything "good" or "right" because I don't know the heart of the man behind it. the motives, the spirit, are only seen and perceived and understood rightly by God. in desperation to understand His holiness, to even seek His face in this question, I know it requires the consecration of my life. to look at my life through His eyes, and see what is detrimental to my walk, however small, however slight, even to the examination of the merely unnecessary things. to consecrate my heart, to say with my life, "just one thing is needed" - that I might have the honor of sitting at my Savior's feet, and seeing His face clearly. not a life of legalism, because we know the letter kills, but a life in the Spirit, the abundant life of focused freedom. because we aren't confused by the many voices vying for our attention, because we've focused our life and our hearts and our ears to hear but One Voice. because we do not dilute our souls with the world, because we would rather be empty and waiting for the pure love of God to come and fill us, than to look elsewhere for anything less. and He told me, you know, I have so much more love, so much better joy, if you could only receive it. I have so much more. I'm going to drown you in My love, and you will want for nothing else... not a life of "do's and don'ts", but a life that says, nothing else satisfies! nothing less satisfies! a life that recognizes the adventure of His heart and kingdom, and wants for nothing outside of His love. then, I thought about destiny. mainly how I feel like my destiny is intertwined with my friend's destiny, and just how cool I think that is :) trying to imagine what the Lord has up His sleeve for us :) I think about destiny the same ways I think about prophecy - that it's something to be realized, and once realized, it's something to be fought for. and the Lord just showed me how to fight for my destiny, my calling, is consecration. my life isn't strong enough to hold all the abundance the Lord longs to pour into it until it is consecrated. I noticed that as I took up this call to consecration, I not only saw Him more clearly - I saw my destiny more clearly. I saw promises long forgotten or lain aside rise up in my heart again and doors open in my life for the fulfillment of these promises. our destinies are wrapped up in Christ! and if we can't see Him for who He is through all the pollution and the confusion of compromise, we don't know who we are. but, in choosing a life near His altar, a life that does not hesitate to sacrifice possession and pride and comfort, in choosing to keep our hearts warm near His purifying fire... then all the extras melt away, and we reflect His likeness and we know our purpose. this is a call to consecration. because we have destinies that are being neglected. this nation has a destiny. this state has a destiny. this city has a destiny. you have a destiny. and I so want to see those destinies lived out and not wasted because I was too lazy or too complacent or too compromising in my convictions to reach for my destiny in Christ. it's work. it's not easy. but He's worthy. He's worthy of the sacrifice of our lives. of our time and energies and efforts. He worthy of a consecrated life. and in return He'll pour out every abundant blessing: "no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless." not because we deserve it. not because we get a pat on the back for being 'holy' and 'consecrated'. but because we know that we are without, and recognizing that and choosing to not turn to worldly things to fill our longings but choosing to call out to Him in our nothingness, His heart is moved and overwhelmed with love and desire to fill us with every good and perfect gift. I'll never understand the way He sees me. I'll never get it. but I don't have to. I just get to sit and soak in the wonder of it all! :)
I'm struck by the fact that I only have one life. one life here. one. not to live - but to give. because I give away my life to Him, and He just gives it right back, pressed down, shaken together and running over. we have but moments to give and see the glorious destiny He wants to give us in return - live a life worthy of the calling...
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