I DID something the other day that I haven’t done in years.
My husband, Chris, and I went to a
rock concert. Not just any rock concert, though. A CHRISTIAN rock
concert. (Ever been to one of those?) Even though the two of us were exhausted
from too many weeks of home remodeling and suffering nagging headaches and
sore bodies, we got cleaned up and dressed up and shuffled into the big concert hall on our local
university’s campus. We joined a packed house of tweens, teens, millenials,
seniors, oldsters and families to hear
Micah Tyler, Hawk Nelson, and the incredible MercyMe tell jokes, make us weep,
witness to us, sing to us, and play their hearts out. It was one of the
greatest three and a half hours of worship I’ve ever experienced.
And one song
made me pause, right before the brain light turned on. It gave me that AH HA! moment that stayed with me right
through the night and into morning. And I’m still thinking about it. It’s
actually driving my thinking. And a lot of people must be on the same page
because the Hawk Nelson band had T-shirts in the lobby with these verses on them.
Live like
you’re loved…
Walk like
you’re free…
Live like
you believe…
People who are loved are content and confident. People
who are loved are happy. People who are loved are filled and satisfied. People
who are loved exhibit love toward others.
Did you catch
that last sentence? People who are loved
exhibit love toward others. They look different, they act different. They
live life differently. They exude joy. And isn’t that what Jesus said—that we
are to love others as He loves us; and that others (unbelievers) will know we
are Christ-followers when we love one another.
WALKING
FREE
And people
who are saved by faith in God’s grace are free.
They live free. They are less encumbered and weighed down by life, by
circumstances. They don't ooze doubts and fears or let their lives be overrun
by them. And if that’s true, then shouldn’t we be walking like we’re free? Free
and proud of the One who broke the chains of sin and granted us freedom! Jesus
said that we would know the truth, and that truth would set us free.
LIVING YOUR
BELIEF
And people
who believe in Jesus—really believe
in Him—exude a confidence in Him. Not in their belief, but in Him. God did not give us a spirit of fear but one of power.
Security and confidence. The longer you know Him and the deeper your
relationship with Him, the more likely you are to be saturated in belief.
Day-by-day He demonstrates his faithfulness that only solidifies that belief.
It is that default button when life goes awry, and you don’t have a clue what’s
going on. You rest in your belief that He does, and He will always do what’s best for you. As
Casting Crowns sings: “To know You is to want to know You more.”
As I
listened to and sang the words, I had to ask myself if I really lived like I
was loved; if I really lived like I was free; if I really lived like I
believed. Or if I stuffed the love, still carried those chains of sins around
with me, (because they’re familiar or I get something out of being a martyr by
hanging onto them), or if I shied away from being bold about my belief in the
company of others. (Not obnoxious and not throwing pearls before people who
would trample the truth, but salt and light to a sinful, dying, hurting world.)
On this day
I’m calling Music Monday, if you’d like to have a great time of worship and go
deeper into the love of God through His Son Jesus Christ, watch these videos.
And while you’re watching, think deeply about the lyrics of these songs, and do
some jumping around! After all, is it not a joy and privilege to know and love
the Lord!?
“Live Like You’re Love” by Hawk Nelson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_r47Xhkf20
If you don’t
know or doubt whether you’re loved, enjoy this Hawk Nelson song, “Drops in the
Ocean.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZH13wFGffg
And
for a bonus, here’s the Casting Crowns song: “To Know You”.
Have a great week living like you’re
loved, living like you’re free, and living like you really believe!
By
the way—Happy May Day!!
Until
next week,
Blessings!
Andrea
May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul
prospers (3 John 2).
Photos by Andrea A Owan and Google Images
No comments:
Post a Comment