Saturday, June 5, 2010
Grand Vanity's "Got A Nerve"
Our friends Greg and Dani are also a band called Grand Vanity. This is a music video they made, and it's awesome. You should watch it, then go to iTunes and download the single, and then show everyone you know.
Ever make a mistake and then find you can't sleep?
That is precisely the scenario I find myself in this evening. What a yucky feeling it is, when you know both your mind and body are tired but something, that switch in your brain that says "systems off" just won't unhinge. I hear the air conditioning humming in our bedroom and know Benner is fast asleep. There was no point for him to stay up while I dwell on my mistake, afterall there is nothing either of us can do about it now. I'm sure if you ask me in a day or two or three it will not feel as catastrophic as it does right now but right now in this moment, I need peace.
All of us make mistakes and fall short from time to time in our lives. I know this truth about myself and about the people around me. It's quite annoying really as I imagine that even I would like myself so much more if I were perfect. Even the people who love us most with their best intentions can still disappoint. We make mistakes at work, in relationships, in the seemingly minor and mundane and it situations that have implications far beyond what we could have expected. Typically we gauge the level of mistake by the ramifications of our act (or failure to act). Sometime it's just a typo. Sometimes its a blatant lie that never comes back to haunt us so we think its ok. Perhaps we chose something that benefits us over someone else. Selfish ambition, greed, pride. We think it through and sometimes decide to do it and sometimes not. Sometimes we don't think it through at all and aren't aware that we've made a mistake until someone reveals it. Oh the countless situations and kinds of mistakes and sin we can find ourselves in. There is a difference though between sin and a mistake. While both are "off the mark" one is premeditated and speaks to the heart while the other is not done with intent. Yet are part of our experience in being simply human.
So does the fact that we are "simply human" get us off the hook? Surely not. God is perfect and expects holiness. Not even one of us is holy which is a dire place to be. Right now I am counseling my heart in the fact that despite my sins and errors, God loves me. And that beyond this, I have value and redemption for this spiritual state of sin that I am in because the debt has been paid for. You see, God knows everything from the number of hairs on my head to the thoughts of my heart to all the mistakes I will ever ever make and he chooses to love me because of what Jesus accomplished in his life and death on the cross. Maybe you've heard this before or a million times. Maybe you already believe it or maybe it feels abstract and weird and you don't know what it is but you don't trust it. What you believe about God is in my opinion the most important question you can ever ask yourself. If you are unsure just ask God to reveal himself in his power to you in a personal way. He wants to have a real relationship with you and if you are Earnest in this request, I promise you that you will see God go big for you.
So I can be secure in God's love and have nothing to worry. My life is in his hands. I know this in my head and yet right in this moment I think if I fully were able to absorb this reality I may not be reeling or blogging but would be asleep in my bed. But he knows that too and his grace is still available and free to me. If you've ever sat by still waters, you can imagine the peace that comes from God himself. All of creation and the still waters are merely works of his hands. What does that say about him?
I have a couple thoughts to end with:
1) Have you personally experienced the grace of Christ in your life? Do you know what its like to have peace with yourself and with God when you error in life?
2) Can our own errors serve as a reminder of God's perfect love and forgiveness for us? Perhaps they can even work to inspire us to forgive others when we don't feel like it, knowing that we have been guilty of the same error and offense. While I hope I can be met with forgiveness by my fellow people I can be confident to know that because of Christ I am in right standing with God. That is truly and incredible gift.
3) When we sin or error we can take the opportunity to dwell on the sinless life that Jesus led when he walked the earth. Though he was the son of God he never considered himself above anyone else. He was tempted by sin just like we are - to lie, to steal, to self promote, be greedy, or simply not love others and he never did. All these sacrifices he made to please the Father and ultimately to live the a life qualifying of the sacrifice to die to sin in our place.
No matter what I do or don't do, regardless of what other people may choose to do to me, I am secure in God's perfect love. He is so faithful and I have seen him work in my life time and time and time again. His plan is perfect and he is sovereign over all our errors, sin and all. He orchestrates circumstances according to his will and can redeem every part of us and this world. He is doing it now. Moment by moment, heart by heart and we WILL see his glory here on Earth. Amen!
I'm ready to sleep now;)
All of us make mistakes and fall short from time to time in our lives. I know this truth about myself and about the people around me. It's quite annoying really as I imagine that even I would like myself so much more if I were perfect. Even the people who love us most with their best intentions can still disappoint. We make mistakes at work, in relationships, in the seemingly minor and mundane and it situations that have implications far beyond what we could have expected. Typically we gauge the level of mistake by the ramifications of our act (or failure to act). Sometime it's just a typo. Sometimes its a blatant lie that never comes back to haunt us so we think its ok. Perhaps we chose something that benefits us over someone else. Selfish ambition, greed, pride. We think it through and sometimes decide to do it and sometimes not. Sometimes we don't think it through at all and aren't aware that we've made a mistake until someone reveals it. Oh the countless situations and kinds of mistakes and sin we can find ourselves in. There is a difference though between sin and a mistake. While both are "off the mark" one is premeditated and speaks to the heart while the other is not done with intent. Yet are part of our experience in being simply human.
So does the fact that we are "simply human" get us off the hook? Surely not. God is perfect and expects holiness. Not even one of us is holy which is a dire place to be. Right now I am counseling my heart in the fact that despite my sins and errors, God loves me. And that beyond this, I have value and redemption for this spiritual state of sin that I am in because the debt has been paid for. You see, God knows everything from the number of hairs on my head to the thoughts of my heart to all the mistakes I will ever ever make and he chooses to love me because of what Jesus accomplished in his life and death on the cross. Maybe you've heard this before or a million times. Maybe you already believe it or maybe it feels abstract and weird and you don't know what it is but you don't trust it. What you believe about God is in my opinion the most important question you can ever ask yourself. If you are unsure just ask God to reveal himself in his power to you in a personal way. He wants to have a real relationship with you and if you are Earnest in this request, I promise you that you will see God go big for you.
So I can be secure in God's love and have nothing to worry. My life is in his hands. I know this in my head and yet right in this moment I think if I fully were able to absorb this reality I may not be reeling or blogging but would be asleep in my bed. But he knows that too and his grace is still available and free to me. If you've ever sat by still waters, you can imagine the peace that comes from God himself. All of creation and the still waters are merely works of his hands. What does that say about him?
I have a couple thoughts to end with:
1) Have you personally experienced the grace of Christ in your life? Do you know what its like to have peace with yourself and with God when you error in life?
2) Can our own errors serve as a reminder of God's perfect love and forgiveness for us? Perhaps they can even work to inspire us to forgive others when we don't feel like it, knowing that we have been guilty of the same error and offense. While I hope I can be met with forgiveness by my fellow people I can be confident to know that because of Christ I am in right standing with God. That is truly and incredible gift.
3) When we sin or error we can take the opportunity to dwell on the sinless life that Jesus led when he walked the earth. Though he was the son of God he never considered himself above anyone else. He was tempted by sin just like we are - to lie, to steal, to self promote, be greedy, or simply not love others and he never did. All these sacrifices he made to please the Father and ultimately to live the a life qualifying of the sacrifice to die to sin in our place.
No matter what I do or don't do, regardless of what other people may choose to do to me, I am secure in God's perfect love. He is so faithful and I have seen him work in my life time and time and time again. His plan is perfect and he is sovereign over all our errors, sin and all. He orchestrates circumstances according to his will and can redeem every part of us and this world. He is doing it now. Moment by moment, heart by heart and we WILL see his glory here on Earth. Amen!
I'm ready to sleep now;)
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