Tonight I went to see Ps100, a group of guys that sing some very tight Christian Rock (and praise & worship). Most of their music is original. It is definitely worth a listen! My connection with them is through their drummer. Back in the day when I was leading worship in Akron NY he was on the team. God has brought Mike so far (and through things I had no idea about before tonight... believing that God's healing his wife of that cancer!) Tonight I came with a head full and heart broken. There's just been so much going on lately that it's been overwhelming. Trying to carry the burdens of others while carrying your own is quite a task. Tonight I was reminded that "Your grace is enough". We are not guaranteed by God a life without any heartache, physical illness, relational tension, poverty (or riches) etc. But we are guaranteed that as we place our faith in Jesus Christ to cover our sins, God runs to us, picks us up and carries us. Sometimes, I believe, He just holds us like children that have had the worst nightmare and we just can't shake it. It is in our brokenness that he floods his love through the cracks of our heart. Healing us. Mending us. Giving us a hope that many, honestly, can't comprehend. That is the hope of eternal life. Not that we keep this life, or by some form of cosmic cruelty, to return again and again until we 'get it right'. No. The bible says all this 'stuff' is temporary. Eventually it will all "burn". Jesus said he was preparing a place for us to come back and take us to. This is our hope. Jesus endured the darkest hour of his life knowing the joy to come.
As Brenton Brown (singer/songwriter) wrote in the song OUR GOD IS MERCY: "The Kingdom of our God is near, lift your eyes, lift your eyes! The hope of heaven drawing near, lift your eyes! Lift your eyes!" If we first seek God's Kingdom then everything else will be taken care of (rough paraphrase!). This is just some of the stuff that's been swimming in my head recently...
