I Don't Care If You Stand....

In churches all over the country people often times sing a song on Sundays, and the song says,
 " I"ll  STAND with arms high and heart abandoned to the ONE who paid it all."

Ok...now just picture this we are in a church building on the Lord's day singing to the God of the universe who gave His perfect Son to die on our behalf, and we are singing to Him and  telling Him we will stand with arms high and heart abandoned.  Many many many of the people singing this song will have the words coming out of their mouths and their arms are down and they are even sitting (by choice).  This offends no-one.    We just figure, their relationship with God is their business and not ours. We use the 'ole "don't judge" go-to.   But remember, when we sing this we are in his house, on his day, and we are choosing to be there (this is a great choice by the way).  I'm not saying we should go around making people worship or take the actions that they are declaring with their words that they are singing, but I also don't think we need to force people, or think less of them if they don't stand for our flag.  I personally stand and pay respect and I think it is the right and good thing to do, but I also think it is good and right to stand and raise my hands to God when I tell Him I will.

I just think we get our passions all confused when we get worked up about things that are temporary, when there is eternal matters to concern our lives with.  When Jesus was making his way to calvary, the week before He was hung on a cross, the people were shouting Hosanna, Hosanna.  They wanted to crown Him as king because their politics were a mess and they were looking for Him to fix their situation.  ONE WEEK later, they were shouting  CRUCIFY HIM, CRUCIFY HIM.  Then, when he was hanging on the cross, everyone left and didn't stick around and stand for HIM or with HIM for even a few hours while He suffered and died and conquered sin and death for them and us.

When christians get more passionate and out spoken about our politics and country and flag than we do about our God, and faith, and Word of God, then we send a wrong message to ourselves and the world.   It states we believe more in the power of the politics and government than the God of the universe, it states, we care more about our temporary situation and our country, than our eternity and God's Kingdom.

I realize it's all very important, but we have to keep it all in order.  We often times take so much pride and diligence to educate and dedicate ourselves to our country, and again, this is good and right, but not when it overrides how proud we are of our God, and the fact that we are HIS PEOPLE, and we desire to spend our time and attention to educate and dedicate ourselves to Him and His Kingdom.

I don't get it right many times, as a Christian or as an American, but I do know that I will spend more time concerning myself with my posture before the God of the universe than other people's posture before a flag.

I see people mishandle the Word of God, by taking it so far out of context and use it and others for their own gain, and people sit still under that teaching and leadership and never so much as raise a question, and yet, if the flag is mishandled in the slightest manner people have a near breakdown.

Let's get our WORSHIP right.  The thing that is so entirely beautiful about our Lord is, we can pledge our allegiance to Him and Him alone, He is big enough and kind enough and strong enough and EVERYTHING ENOUGH to take care of us and HE IS WORTHY of all PRAISE AND HONOR!!!  He is FAITHFUL!!!!!
 He is FAITHFUL when we are, and when we are not.
 He is faithful forever and always!!!
He is FAITHFUL FAITHFUL FAITHFUL FOREVER.

And the beautiful thing about it is there will be a day that we will all take a  knee and bow before Him, no matter who we are or what we believe, so I suggest we practice standing in awe of Him and bowing before Him now and getting ourselves ready for that glorious day.

Romans 14:11English Standard Version (ESV)

11 for it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,

    and every tongue shall confess to God.”

The "Heart" Beat.

  As a mom and as a child of God, I would so much rather deal with a behavior than a heart.  I know that sounds horrible, but it's the truth.  A behavior seems easier to see, to change, and to control. 

However, dealing only with behavior is like putting a band-aid on your skin, when you have internal bleeding.

Jeremiah 17:9-10English Standard Version (ESV)

9 

The heart is deceitful above all things,

    and desperately sick;

    who can understand it?

10 

“I the Lord search the heart

    and test the mind,

to give every man according to his ways,

    according to the fruit of his deeds.”

I love that last part that says fruit of his deed, not his deeds.  Again, we can hide behind good works but the fruit of it, good or bad is a result of the heart behind it.

We have a friend (Jeff) that often says, "Relationship before task."  I believe this is the heart of God.  He is so much more interested in our hearts than our actions.  He is a relational God and He wants our whole heart, and out of that whole heart will flow the actions that produce good fruit.

I have made an attempt this summer to see into the heart of things, and especially my kids, not just  actions.

  Oh Lord Oh Lord. 

 I can tell you, when you start looking and praying for heart issues not just behaviors, and go beyond asking God to keep them "healthy, safe, and strong,"  it can get very vulnerable and honest and messy in a hurry.

Psalm 51:15-17English Standard Version (ESV)

15 

O Lord, open my lips,

    and my mouth will declare your praise.

16 

For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;

    you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

17 

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

One thing I have found as God has opened my eyes to see deeper into their hearts, is it has revealed some issues that needed repentance in my own heart. 

As I have prayed more intentionally for hearts rather than just the behaviors, it has cultivated space for some real work to be done.  God is so faithful to hear our prayers and to transform and clean our hearts.  It has not happened overnight and it is all far from perfect, but I feel a different heartbeat, a different rhythm in our family.  It feels like we aren't as controlled by circumstances and moods, (which is a stinking miracle in itself, as we have so many teenage hormones living in this house).  The family heart beat is stronger and more constant.

There is a fresh freedom and peace and joy that has taken root in their hearts and mine.

God gave me such a beautiful picture of this today when they drove off together for their first day of high school together.  I got a bit choked up, as I was thinking of how good and kind and faithful our Father is.  I love how creative He is in putting families together.  He got really wild when He put this core bunch together.  These 3 are the most different people in every way, and yet.  God has brought them together and they make up this beautiful creative core group, and they share the same father on earth and the same Father in heaven.         

Then there is this amazing 4th grader and my Kindergartner.  These older kids might be the core of the family, but these younger ones are the passion. 

 They are fireballs in their hearts and in their actions. 

God gives the most amazing gifts and He is so faithful.