Thursday, April 24, 2008

No Need, But Lots of Want

I was driving home late the other night (I'd been to Pittsburgh to see my Marlins beat the Pirates 10-4!) when I heard a song I'd heard many times before. Casting Crowns is a group that everybody in our family enjoys, and their song "In Me" is nice enough, but I'd never paid it a whole lot of attention. Until the other night, anyway.

As I was cranking the CD up to help me stay awake, two phrases of the chorus seemed to jump out at me like they never had before--

How refreshing to know You don't need me.
How amazing to find that you want me!

You know, the almighty God of the universe who created all that it and has every resource imagineable at his beck and call really doesn't need you or me. He would still be perfection itself, the ultimate completeness, even without me. Neither does He need me to accomplish His purposes in the world. He is more than capable of realizing every aspect of His perfect will without my help. As much as I long to serve Him, it is kind of refreshing to know that His will isn't dependent on my performance.

At the same time, though, it's rather disconcerting to realize that the source of so much of my identity and sense of self, serving my God, really isn't necessary for His success. It leaves me feeling a bit lost and out of touch. But, how amazing to find that you want me!

He doesn't NEED me, but He desperately WANTS me. Can you fathom that? I don't think I fully can, but what I do understand of it shows me more than I've ever realized of God's incredible character and nature. He doesn't need me, but He wants me because HE chooses to.

What an amazing God we serve!

Blessings!

Saturday, April 5, 2008

"Dying to Know You" by downhere

This song really speaks my heart. Hope you love it, too.

Old streets don't lead back where they used to
We blaze new trails to ancient places
I still love You just like I used to
But this love won't fit spreadsheets

I don't just want to hear it
I want to feel it too
It's less like I'm trying
It's more like I'm dying to know You

New day, new wave, same destination
With all this new change, lest we forget our beginnings
But I'm done with lip service
You look through the skin to the heart that drives this
Beyond trying, I'm dying for love

I'm dying to swim in Your sea
I'm dying to taste and see
I'm dying in all that I do
So come to me 'cause I can't get to You