Living Stones

This song is almost a year and a half old.   I started a blog entry and never posted it.  I'm trying to catch up on having my blog up to date.

I've always been intrigued by the concept that we are living stones.  When I looked up the verse, I was struck by the fact that we are living stones that God is building together into his temple or his house.  Together, we are meant to hold the very presence of God.  

The letter of 1 Peter talks about this: 

You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God's temple.  He was rejected by people, but was he was chosen by God for great honor.  And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple.  What's more, you are his holy priests.  Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.  As the Scriptures say, "I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced."  Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him.  But for those who reject him, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone."  1 Peter 2: 4-7 NLT

As I thought about this, I realized that I have always thought of Jesus as our cornerstone as meaning that he was like the keystone of an arch (without the keystone the whole thing falls apart).  But the cornerstone is the one that all the other stones have to line up with for the building to take shape.

This is what came to me as I thought about this.

    Living Stones

Living Stones

You tell Your people we are living stones.

Made to fit together

And when we come together

We become the house of God.

Cornerstone

Jesus is our living Cornerstone

The standard we are set to

So when we come together 

We become the house of God.

House of God

Together, we're the house of God.

The Church is made of people

And when we come together 

We become the house of God.

 

Now We See in a Mirror Dimly

 This is a new song that has been running through my mind lately.

Along with it is a recognition that it is all to easy to have the "mirror" running backwards so that instead of reflecting God with our lives, we only see in our understanding of God a reflection of our own prejudices and preconceived notions.  This song, at least in my mind, is a prayer that more and more I'd be able to see God as God is and not just as I want God to be.

Now We See in a Mirror Dimly

Now we see in a mirror dimly

Then we shall see face to face

Now we see in a mirror dimly

Then we shall see face to face

And even what we see in that mirror

Fills us with wonder and awe.

Now we see in a mirror dimly

But then we shall see face to face.

Lord, when we see You we shall be like You

For we shall see You as You are

Help us to see You and to be like You

Help us to see You as You are.

Pressing Forward

 I guess one isn't supposed to post two blog entries on the same day, but I realize that this is a song that never made it on to the blog, and it is one that is important to me just now.

It's at least a year old, but it focuses on two scriptures that have been dear to me for a long while now.

Pressing Forward

Pressing forward, pressing in, pressing on to lay hold of

That for which Jesus laid hold of me.

Pressing forward, pressing in, pressing on to lay hold of

That for which Jesus laid hold of me.

Draw me, draw me, draw me and I will run after

Draw me, draw me, and I will run after You.

Help me to be more like Jesus.

What does it mean today to carry my cross?

Help me keep my eyes on the target

And follow whatever the cost.

Pressing forward, pressing in, pressing on to lay hold of

That for which Jesus laid hold of me

Pressing forward, pressing in, pressing on to lay hold of

That for which Jesus laid hold of me.

Draw me, draw me, draw me and I will run after.

Draw me, draw me, and I will run after You.

You Make It All Worthwhile

I woke up recently with part of this song running through my mind and heart, and was able to spend some time making it come together.  I think it represents how I have thought of God since I came to be a follower of Jesus, since I did not come to him primarily to have my sins forgiven but to find something that was worth living my whole life for.

I was recently ordained, and I used this song as part of my testimony in conjunction with the ordination process.

You  Make it All Worthwhile

You are my center, and You are my core

The Ground of my Being, What I'm living for

Help me remember when I'm feeling weary

That you make it all worthwhile.

You are the one that I'm running the race for

And You are the one that I run to embrace

Help me stay certain when I'm feeling shaken

That you make it all worthwhile.

King of all kings on the throne of my heart

The Lamb that was slain and my Light in the Dark

All of my days as long as I'm living

You make it all worthwhile.

For what it's worth, I think I have the words slightly different in the YouTube video.  The way I have it here is the way I want it, but I don't have the bandwidth to change the video just now.

Our King Walked Among Us, Carrying His Cross

 I wrote this song last year, when our church participated in a "Cross Walk" organized by ten local churches, to celebrate Good Friday by carrying a cross around to different churches, and at each church sharing a brief moment of reflection on the meaning of Good Friday.  I am quite confident that when Jesus told us to take up our crosses and follow him, he didn't have this kind of cross carrying in mind, but the question of what he did mean, and what that instruction means for us today is something I still ponder.  This song represents part of my attempt to grapple with that.

Our King Walked

Our King walked among us,

Carrying his cross.

He'd been whipped and beaten,

And it seemed all hope was lost.

But he won the battle

When he died upon that tree –

He gave up his life for you and me.

Our King died among us,

Nailed upon that cross.

He cried out, "Forgive them"

As the dice were tossed.

He cried, "It is finished" 

As he took his final breath.

He brought us salvation with his death.

Our King said to follow

And to carry our cross

To love one another

Whatever the cost.

To pray for our enemies

And leave all hate behind.

To love God with all our heart and soul and strength and mind.

Our King walked among us,

Carrying his cross.

Psalm 130

 This isn't really my song, but one someone taught me years ago when I was in college, sometime between 1973 and 1975.  I have no idea now who wrote the tune.  I wanted to share it with some folks, and so I made a video.  The words are pretty much straight King James.

Psalm 130

Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, O Lord.

Lord hear my voice

Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

If Thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand

But there is forgiveness with Thee that Thou mayest be feared

I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait and in His word do I hope.

My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning

I say more than they that watch for the morning.

Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy

And in Him is plenteous redemption

And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities

And He shall redeem Israel from all his sins.

The Belt of Truth

 Something like 28 years ago, a close friend was given a vision in which God gave him the Belt of Truth.  I was jealous.  "Me too, God. Why don't I get cool visions like that?"  And as long as I was praying for the belt of truth, I figured I might as well ask for the rest of the armor of God at the same time.

Why the focus on the belt of truth?  Well, partly it was my envy of my friend's vision.  But also it is perhaps the aspect of the armor of God that I struggle the most with.  It is so easy to shade the truth so that I make myself look better.  But that is not the total trust in God that I believe we are called to in this concept of spiritual armor.

I don't make a practice of religiously praying for this armor to be applied to me every day, but I do try to walk in the full meaning of each piece of the armor in all of my life.

At any rate, the subject came up recently, and I realized that I had not shared this particular song on the Internet.

   The Belt of Truth

I want to be ready for battle today

Wearing the armor that helps me to pray

Yielded in all that I am to your truth,

Lord, give me the belt of truth

And strip all the lies away

All my defenses, all my pretenses

Let me walk in the light of day

Give me the belt of truth

Only Your righteousness guarding my heart

Faith as my shield against fiery darts

Your gospel of peace as the shoes for my feet

O Lord, make my love complete

And strip all the lies away

All my defenses, all my pretenses

Let me walk in the light of day

Give me the belt of truth

With Your salvation protecting my head

Your Word the manna with which I am fed,

Your Word of life as my sword for the fight

Lord, help me to walk in light

And strip all the lies away

All my defenses, all my pretenses

Let me walk in the light of day,

Lord give me the belt of truth.