Monday, September 19, 2011

Call on Jesus

This week's song choice is inspired by a recent bible study discussion on the Beatitudes.  We were discussing the first of eight:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3

For me, this is a tricky one to understand...what does "poor in spirit" mean? My study Bible says it is "in contrast to being spiritually proud or self sufficient."  So my current understanding is that to be "poor in spirit" is to acknowledge that you need God for everything.  Your sustinence, your achievements, your survival, your strength, your abilities, everything.  Someone who is "poor in spirit" has learned to give credit to God for everything and doesn't try to handle life's challenges on his/her own.

For people like me, who like to be in control, this is hard to do.  My first reaction is to try to figure things out on my own.  Quite often, I don't give my problems, my worries to God until I've struggled with them on my own for a while.

So back to the song...this week I've chosen another Nicole C. Mullen song called "Call on Jesus".  The first words of the song, I think reflect what "poor in spirit" means.  Here we have this beautiful, phenomenally talented, woman singing "I'm so very ordinary, nothing special on my own."

 

This song reminds us that we need to turn to Jesus with our problems, challenges, choices, fears.  Though so often in my life I try to solve things without asking for help from God, those times that I did ultimately turn to the Lord...he did show me the way.  Some answers were immediate, some have taken time, and there are still other challenges that I'm awaiting guidance from Him on.  The more I choose to rely on Him, the easier it is to have patience for his plan to become visible to me.  I have more trust in Him, and I am much less anxious...and less anxiety can only be a good thing.

A while ago, when I was stressed about something, my mother pointed me to a passage that she uses to provide her comfort.  It's now one of my favorite verses that I turn to frequently for a reminder of this message:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Phillipians 4: 6-7

So whatever is troubling your heart today, may you give it all to God, right now.  Trust Him to guide you, give you strength and bring about solution according to his plan.  I hope you will find some peace in this.

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