Monday, March 28, 2011

Prisoner of Hope

Though my tears may fall
     Still I will praise
Though I can't see far
     Still I will pray
Though I fall down again
     Still I raise my hands

     For You, oh Lord
Have enraptured me in Your love
     In You, oh Lord
I am Your prisoner of hope

Let me not shake these shackles
     Though the winds of despair ensue
Help me sing in this prison
     Through the howls of doubt
I will forever set my eyes upon You
     Though the darkness of confusion engulfs

     For You, oh Lord
Have enraptured me in Your love
     In You, oh Lord
I am Your prisoner of hope



Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. Zechariah 9:12
The Lord roars from Zion and utters His voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth tremble. But the Lord is a refuge for His people and a stronghold to the sons of Israel. Joel 3:16

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. Hebrews 6:19

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Failing God?

“You were never holding Me up. I uphold you with my victorious righteous right hand. In this relationship, I hold you up.”
I was sitting in a chapel service at my school, and the speaker showed a video by a group called The Skits. The clip was about God chiseling us into His image, and how God has created us for good. In the skit, the man was telling God that he could never become like Him, saying, “But God, I’ve let You down so many times!”
I thought to myself, how many times have I said that? How many people do I know who are constantly struggling with how they are always failing God? And with that thought, another comes right after. “God, how can You still love me?”

I’m not about to tell you that we can ever be perfect. Because the fact of the matter is, we, as humans, will always fail. We can never ever reach the perfection of God. But what I am about to tell you is that God knows this. This is the very reason He sent His Son for us- so that when we fail over and over and over again, and we feel like the worst trash in the world, we can see that through Jesus Christ, we are made whole again.

Yes. We will fail. But who are we failing? Can we ever let God down?
In the video, God’s answer was short, and to the point. “You were never holding Me up. I uphold you with my victorious righteous right hand. In this relationship, I hold you up.” How can we let God down, when He is the only reason we can stand? What does a father do when his children fall down? He picks them up, and sets them on their feet again. He guides them along so they can learn how to walk and not fall; how to run, and not grow weary!
So what does God expect from us, if He already knows that we can’t make it on our own? Paul states His mission many times throughout the New Testament. “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” God requires us to press on towards Him. He expects from us that when we do fall, we take His hand and accept His forgiveness; that we walk with Him, and learn to run in our faith.

God does not call us to a condemnation in spirit, but He calls us to true repentance. Repentance is the turning away from our sin, that which displeases God; true repentance makes an impact in one’s daily living. And God wants us to run with Him, every moment of every single day.

So remember, the next time you fall, reach for God’s hand to get back up again; He will never let you down.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:28-31

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus: Philippians 3:14
Psalm 23