I have fond memories of church as a child. Back then, the church that I went to had their services on Saturday nights, which allowed for a greater variety of people to come. I have unforgettable memories of the worship team, being moved by the Spirit, worshiping very late into the night. Thinking back upon the various songs that were sung over those years, two stand out as my absolute favorite. The one that I want to focus on is titled “I Surrender.”

Around this same time last year, in anticipation of the new things that would be experienced through college and living on my own, I recall praying, asking God to reveal different things that He wanted me to dive deep into. Though the exact moment escapes me, somewhere along the line I began feeling called towards the concept of surrender. Later, as the summer ended and as the school year started, that same desire to dive deep into what it is to fully surrender yourself continued to burn. In one of the first meetings, I had with my spiritual mentor, he asked if there was anything I felt God was calling me to learn or instill in this new period of my life. Surrender was the first thing that exited my mouth.

Being able to fully express this concept is beyond me. I have a feeling surrender will be a continual theme that will appear in my life. Below are the things I feel God has been slowly revealing to me and patiently calling me to press into.

“Be Prepared To Have Things Change”

Imagine Saul of Tarsis, progressing through life, spending large amounts of time studying scripture under different Rabi, devoting himself to his family business of tentmaking, etc… All things seemed to be progressing with fluidity and without complication. Traveling on the road to Damascus though, Saul received a vision and was eventually transformed by the power of Jesus. Being renamed Paul, all the aspirations and desires he was striving for were turned upside down.

We all have things that we want to do in life. Things that we want to take part in, accomplish and maintain. Some people may want to own their own business while others simply desire to be a stay at home mom. While these things are obvious passions God could be placing on different hearts, The goals we work towards in our lives have the potential to change based on God’s will for us. Even the things that we have been apart of or doing for a long period of time can just be a season of unknowing preparation for something else. The dramatic shift in our lives is confusing at first, but God’s Word never changes. His promises never falter, and His plan always ends up bringing glory to Him through us.

Just like Paul, one moment we could be fervently pursuing something and in a blink of an eye, God could shift our lives to be more in-tune with His plan for us. This reality, terrifying as it is, will happen on multiple occasions throughout life. Pursuing the path forged through our strength and might gives us a sense of security. As the Lord intervenes and metaphorically sweeps our legs from under us, the fall we experience can physically, mentally, egoically, and spiritually shatter us. In those times, God beckons us to surrender our security as well as our plan in exchange for His. As the legacy of Paul continues to ring throughout the modern age, if it wasn’t for those moments of surrender to the will of the Lord, the Christian ministry, the early church, and the profound effect his letters have on us now could be completely different.

Paul, having a complete understanding of this concept wrote, “and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28). 

“Be Prepared To Wrestle With Me”

How many times do things in life not make sense? How many times do we lay awake at night, mentally running through scenarios that just don’t make sense? I’ve been there, and I know you’ve been there too. Our ability to rationalize anything and everything has its limits because we’re human. Because of this, I find myself struggling with emotions of confusion, anger, and distress in these times of uncertainty.

I recently read an article written by Jon Bloom of Desiring God where he presents the story of Jacob wrestling with God. At that point in Jacobs life, he was traveling with his family to meet his brother Esau. Being estranged from one another, Jacob was fearful of the fact that he could be killed based on lies and pain he caused his brother. Facing this terrifying reality, Jacob found no sleep the night before he was set to meet him. He most likely brought doubt and fear before the Lord in prayer that night. Fear of death, fear of what Esau would do to his family, and potentially doubt in the plan God had for him are all potential thoughts and feeling Jacob had. Later on that night, the Bible depicts an interaction between him and a stranger who begins to wrestle with him.

This story has significant importance to the process of surrender. There will be instances where life does not make sense. Gods plan and vision is higher than our own. Thus, the things that He does and doesn’t allow may appear to our limited minds as random or even pointless. Continually crying out, questioning and struggling with anguish in faith is a form of wrestling with God. Like Jacob, God can put us through times of uncertainty and spontaneity to lead us to a place of surrender. He doesn’t bring us to a place of exhaustion, but rather, to a point of humility and peace. As Jon Bloom says, “All of our struggling with God in faith leads to peace.”

Being in this state recently, it brought me to the realization of how little I have surrendered to God. In times when I wrestle with the reality set before me, more times than not, I rely on my own strength to give me comfort. Just as God came to Jacob and challenged him to wrestle, I believe the Lord brings us to these points as well. This period of time has the potential to really test your faith.

As the Lord and Jacob continue to wrestle, there comes a point where God touches Jacob’s hip, dislocating it. God demands to be released but Jacob, in response, says, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (Genisis 32:26). Clearly pleasing God, He blesses Jacob, through re-naming him Isreal.

There comes a point where when we must surrender our grasp on the dispositions of what does and doesn’t make sense. When we hold onto the Lord and wrestle with Him in faith, He will bless us, and give us rest.

“Be Prepared To Cast Your Vision On Me Alone”

Casting your vision onto the Lord as it is, is difficult. However, training our eyes to the Lord, and only Him proves to be even harder. (as one may expect).

Our vision wanders all the time. Vision takes place both within the eyes and the heart, leaving a large amount of space for human frailty. Noah of the Bible provides an example of one who’s sight is pointed straight to God. Genesis 6:9 and 7:5 says, “Noah walked with God, and Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.” Casting our vision to God requires faith and obedience to Him and Him alone. Tuning out the sinful actions and torts of individuals, before and after the construction of the ark, Noah continually surrendered his vision and cast it to God.

I think about all the times where my vision isn’t directed towards God. The majority of the time it is pointed to me. Through repentance, faith, and continually surrendering our vision to the Lord day by day, His Spirit will work in us, and eventually, reveal the glory and promises He had for us all along. It will be a laborious match of tug of war between the things of this world and the things of God. Yet, God calls us to give Him all that we have anyways.

“Be Prepared To Follow My Will”

“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21).

Just about every individual who was called by the Lord was lead to follow His will. Jesus Himself even submitted His will to the Father. (Matthew 26:39, 42). The specifics of Gods plan for our lives are unknown. He alone is in control of all things. Due to our sinful nature, our personal desires and plans will collide with Gods. Because of that, the uncomfortable winds of change can come and wipe out the house we have built. In times like those especially, God calls for us to surrender to His will.

Many of us (myself included), are guilty of wanting the easiest pathway to God. When hard things come, we want instant relief. As challenging aspects of life enter ours, we want the immediate solution. Even in the absence of hardship, we still want to travel the path we are creating for ourselves. Jesus Himself gives us the way to Him in Matthew 16:24-26. He calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. This three-step calling is a call to surrender. Jesus never said that denying yourself would be easy. It, in fact, goes against the selfish nature engrained within us. Taking up our cross is backbreaking and impossible for us to do on our own. And walking with Jesus through anything and everything requires a faith that is eternally driven, which is difficult to achieve with our limited mindset. Christ knows that we are unable to fully follow this call through our own strength. That is why He yearns for us to surrender our will to His, for His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. (Matthew 11:30).

I can’t begin to express the number of times where I have failed at this charge Christ has given me. There have been countless instances where I have willingly disobeyed Gods will for the sake of pursuing my own. The times where I have backed down due to selfishness, or ran away fearing a giant placed in front of me is pathetic. Yet, that is the very reason Jesus gave His life, and why He gives us forgiveness, again and again, to deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him, totally surrendering ourselves to His will.

Lifelong Walk

Surrender is an act that never ends. On earth, it is constant, and in heaven, it will be constant. There will be circumstances where we break away and rely on our own wills, which is why the Lord gives us grace. When those times come, He lovingly picks us up and urges us to offer up everything in exchange for Him. Even when we feel like we are giving Him our everything, there is always something that we are keeping to ourselves.

This is a topic that I feel just as passionately about almost an entire year later. God has slowly been revealing the power of surrender to me through good and bad times. Through grace, He has continually reminded me of the road He has created for me, and that only through surrender will I begin to walk it. Just as I sang “I surrender all to you” in church all those years ago, God calls not only me but you, to sing and press into those very words.

 

 

As I have become more exposed and experienced more of the responsibilities of adult life, I have quickly realized how life can quickly become less colorful and even dull at some points. The same routine experienced every day for weeks or months at a time eventually becomes draining, leaving you coming home from work exhausted and sluggish; only to be met with the exact same thing the following day. Even outside of work, there are times where spiritually, a dry season occurs. Church service may not explode with the vibrancy it once had while our time spent in the Word feels uninspiring.

I recently read a devotional written by Oswald Chambers where he stated that “The great hindrance in spiritual life is that we look for big things…” He later goes on to explain that God uses the slow or seemingly unimportant circumstances in life (routine), for us to learn and live in dominion through His power. I believe this statement holds great importance because we all experience ebbs and flows in life. God could grant us a specific time where we feel radically inspired as He is calling us to pursue substantial tasks. There are other times where that vision and inspiration seems to shrink or disappear altogether.

Routines seem to be the prime culprit in the death of the large spiritual callings God has placed on our hearts. Reading this devotional brought a few questions to my mind: “Why does God allow us to undergo varied states of life. Why does God touch us with a grand sense of inspiration or calling only for it to seemingly fade away shortly after? How does God use slow and uneventful seasons for His greater glory?”

Drudgery

Speaking as a student, I absolutely hate busy work. I also don’t prefer incredibly hard draining tasks. Call me lazy, but I’m just being honest. Whether it is through schoolwork or our job, we all have moments or even seasons of a sluggish drudgery that occur. Drudgery normally is used with a negative connotation, so why would God allow a state such as this to enter into our lives? Its a simple truth in retrospect, but difficult to see in the instant. It builds character.

When I played football in high school, drilling different plays, routes, and even the way we position our bodies was a very common thing. Five days a week for multiple hours a day, we would run through the various amount of plays. Boredom quickly became a common feeling as the team would have to re-run a set number of plays again and again. This, however, molded our mental states. We later began to understand the purpose of these moments of continuous repetition. It disciplined us to the point where, in a real game scenario, we could rely on the muscle memory that had been ingrained in us. It imparted a philosophy of pushing through the drudgery experienced through practice to achieve a greater character.

This translates into what God does in our lives as well. He will seldom put us into situations where a slow grinding of our character arises. Through this, He gives us the choice of bearing down and trudging through the mud. One of my most avid memories in football was playing a game in over one-hundred degree weather, losing by a large amount, and throwing up twice due to the heat. In weakness we all encounter in life, two pathways lay before us. We can either give in and quit, or we can stand up and go, rising to that test. God uses times of physical, mental, and spiritual drudgery to produce a character in us that presses into Him for strength and provision. The Lord willingly gives us the choice to either be torn down and built into something greater through His love, or to give in, take off our helmet, and quit.

Present Mindedness

“Jesus… took a towel, … and began to wash the disciples’ feet.” (John 13:1-17)

What a powerful image that Christ displays for us in this simple act! Imagine the quiet swish of the water accompanied by the methodical back and forth motion of Christ’s tunic on each of the feet of the twelve. I’m sure for some period of time, all voices in the room became still as Christ went from one to the other, portraying this slow, mesmerizing, and humbling act.

I have noticed that God calls us to the big, grandiose things only some of the time. The massive moments of reaching hundreds of thousands in an auditorium or momentously converting individuals to Christ are few and far between. The things that happen day by day, the things that happen sometimes right in front of you; the small things, are what God wants us to focus on. A perfect example is given to us as Christ washes the disciples’ feet.

When we look for the large important things we can do, we lose sight of the here and now. As we try to peek over and beyond into the future, we become blind to the present needs and callings God is placing in us. In the slow routine of daily life, God is whispering to us that the present moment is the thing that we should be focused on. The large and awe-inspiring things He has for our lives will come in there time. By following the example Christ displayed to us through the washing of the disciples’ feet, the picture of what God is calling us to do becomes more clear.

Running The Race

“…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1).

What qualities does someone need in order to run a marathon? Mental and physical strength, perseverance, and endurance are a few of the big ones. Long-distance running has never been my thing. The times that I have tried have generally ended in a sub-par way. At all points of time: the beginning, middle, and end, running a longer distance demands a higher level of discipline and perseverance.

In a race, a runner faces peaks and valleys, they know they must endure and persevere through the less inspiring portions of the race because they know exactly what they will get when they reach the finish line. We are all called to run the race of life. In the valleys, and in the heat of the battle, God uses these times to test our perseverance. He places valleys before us to build endurance and faith. Keeping sight of the Lord and running towards His presence is the only way we can cross the finish line. As we reach the end of the tunnel and enter smoother roads, having relied on God, we run with a renewed vision of endurance through His power alone.

How Will You Embrace The Mundane?

When times of drudgery, boredom, slow moments happen, and endurance occur, how will you embrace it? As the uninspiring routine of life beats us down, how will you respond? The lack of vision and action for “big things” can become frustrating. God, however, uses every second, every high and seemingly low or dull point of our life for His ultimate glory. He is planting seeds in our souls, watering them as we draw near to Him in these times. As we begin to see this, the mundane aspects of life begin to make a little more sense.

   

 

“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.” – Thoreau

In all aspects of life, we all search for contentment in something. Good grades, new cars, high-performing jobs, or an influx of friends all give us that little piece of satisfaction. It is within our nature to find meaning within processes, and objects. That contentment, however, does not last. Soon wanting more, we look to other products, more services or people to nourish our ever-growing desire for satisfaction. Deeply rooted in our very being is the desire to find that one thing that completes the search, concludes the rat-race, and eternally fills our soul with true life. I feel like every human being at some, or even multiple points, within their lives, has thoughts about what the true life is. Some end up finding the source of this life, while others, although reaching thought-provoking or interesting conclusions, fall by the wayside.

Henry David Thoreau, an American philosopher, poet, and writer conducted an experiment in 1852 where he left his normal life in Massachusetts, trecking into the woods on a quest to find the meaning of life, stating that, “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear. (Walden, 31)” Thoreau later states that he was searching for the “marrow of life;” a perpetual source or state that he could enter into, quenching that desire for true life. For two years, two weeks, and two days, Thoreau positioned himself in those woods, living as simply as he could, recording his daily activities and contemplations which later was compiled into a book named Walden.

Similarly, in the book of Ecclesiastes, the Preacher (author), finds himself in the same position Thoreau does: longing to find what life really is. Having two different narrators within the book, Ecclesiastes, the preacher tells of a life of abundance, wisdom, and pleasure. He describes the life he lived was one that even the most humble would envy. Very quickly, however, he casts the veil of extravagance away to reveal that “vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” The Preacher understands that life has a deeper meaning than material possessions or a profound amount of knowledge. Within the book of Ecclesiastes, he too longs for the marrow of life;  life’s deeper meaning.

Both authors are in search of something. Something perhaps that is greater than themselves, potentially transforming the way they view life.

Unadorned Life

If you ask any minimalist, essentialist, or practically anyone who strives for a simple life, what book most inspired them to make such a drastic change in a word full of stuff; they will most likely attribute that push from Thoreau’s book, Walden. Simplicity is the umbrella theme of this work. Encapsulating a major piece of the experiment, living a simple life was the conduit that provided Thoreau with the “space” to adequately contemplate life. I believe this is an important point to be unpacked due to the fact that you and I live in one of the most stimulated and elaborate times this world has ever seen. Technology, being so integrated into our culture and our ability to search for unfathomable amounts of information in just a few seconds don’t help either.

Thoreau’s thoughts on living simply provide an interesting insight into how we should be living today. Stripping away all except the things that were necessary for life, Thoreau was able to focus on what mattered most to him. He was able to walk through the woods without worry, stare reflectively at a pool of water without interruption of other people or obligations, thus, breaking away from societal notions. I understand this is a very extreme application of simplicity, nevertheless, I do see the benefit of actively striving towards living a life free from an excess of “fluff”

The author of Ecclesiastes looks at simplicity as something that should be interwoven into our lives, because, it is one of the only things that we can actively control. Life is like vapor. God’s will and plan for our lives can appear random and unconventional to our minds. The author acknowledges this while stating that the only thing we can control is our attitude and appreciation for life. A conversation with a friend, sitting quietly with a cup of coffee in hand, or the warmth of the sun beating on your face are all things the author says we should focus on. The moments of rage, the instances of envy or jealousy all can be controlled one way or another. The author provokes us to think about the simple things within life; the things that could happen within a moment without us knowing, the things that we can actively control and be attentive to.

This concept also plays a large part in our spiritual life, giving us the freedom to focus on the most meaningful thing in our life: God. Living an unsimplistic life by no means an evil thing. Life is complex and involves many many moving pieces. However, this world continually calls for our time and attention. If we are not careful with the things that we buy, own, and take part in, they can and will become idols. Like most things, that process may be slow and innocent at first, but very quickly will the undertow of idol worship drag you down into its grasp. Christ calls us to a lifestyle that will edify Him. He also calls us to fully surrender to Him. Allowing the perishable things of this world to be placed onto the throne of our hearts (where God should be), we cease to fully devote our lives to worship and the will of the Father, thus, fundamentally breaking the Lord’s commandment: Love the Lord your God with ALL of your heart, soul, mind and strength.

Death

In both Walden and the book of Ecclesiastes, the frailty of human life is talked about frequently. Essentially, the narrator giving the account in the first portion of Ecclesiastes concludes that we are born into a broken world, we live a broken life, we helplessly crawl through our days, suffocating in our own sin every step of the way, only to die. Many may think this is a morbid thought, yet it portrays exactly what happens. “All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.” (Eccles. 3:20).

We must not become comfortable with our lives here on earth because someday, we will die. Sin is responsible for this unfortunate reality. The Preacher understands that death is inevitable in addition to the fact that we as humans don’t know when that time of departure is. As stated beforehand, being enthralled with physical possessions or our attainable knowledge is all vanity in the Preachers eyes. Playing into my previous point, allowing things to take the utmost importance of our hearts not only separates us from the love of God but on the day of our deaths, all those things that we have placed on the thrones of our heart will pass away, just like us.

It is so incredibly important to have the concept of our mortality in our heads. In the time of the Greeks, when valorous soldiers and leaders would come back from war, they would be greeted by hundreds of people, shouting, dancing, and rejoicing at their victory. Riding next to each of the generals and leaders would be a servant who would utter these words, “Memento Mori.” This is a mantra, which would be repeated over and over in the heads of these famed leaders. It simply means, “Remember that you will die.”

In a Christian sense, this mantra can be thought of in a different light. “Remember you are but a mere mortal.” Or, “Remember the judgment day of the Lord.” Being aware of death and shortness of life is a sobering driving force that can make you ponder the ways in which we spend our time here on earth. Are we using it to glorify the Lord, the One who breathed life into us, and calls us to humbly follow His will? Or are we filling our time with things that appear satisfactory at the moment? Will we choose to quench the precious gift of life God has given us?

Wisdom

Wisdom by far is one of the most accessible things in this day and age. With the nebulous, that is the internet, we have access to hundreds of thousands of bits and pieces of information from all sorts of talent pools. If I want to learn how to play a song on guitar or learn a new language, I can easily look up a YouTube video and within seconds, have hundreds of results to choose from. Thousands of academic papers and research containing critical information can be brought up on a device the size of your hand. We may think that this influx of knowledge is one of the best things that has happened in our recent history. Though the genius of the internet is clearly visible, it can become detrimental on a more fundamental level.

Both authors state that conventional knowledge, or wisdom, isn’t worthwhile. Thoreau states that true wisdom is not found in the continual consummation of material, but through the moments of life day by day. The preacher of Ecclesiastes says that wisdom is an essential thing to strive for, however, too much wisdom brings vexation.

The differences in interpretation are obvious with both authors, yet they still provide strikingly relevant points on how wisdom can be sought and used in our lives. When we allow ourselves to become present-minded and open to the things that occur day by day, we begin to see the patterns and shapes life takes on. We start to notice the minor things that push our buttons and aggravate us. On the opposite side of the coin, as wisdom becomes something that we seek without control, it becomes “a pursuit of the wind.” (Eccles 1:17).

We can become so trapped in the paradox of wisdom. It is good to attain wisdom, but too much of it leads to trouble. Focusing on consuming large amounts of information at a time leads us into a tunnel vision mindset. The grand picture of Gods righteousness and His sovereign grace fades away. Again, like so many things, wisdom can so easily become an idol that replaces God. The preacher is fundamentally arguing and calling us to look at the type of wisdom that we are absorbing. The source of all wisdom is found in God Himself; nothing else. As we walk through life, we may become lost and tend to rely on the wisdom of man. But if we focus our attention to the wisdom of the Lord, He will lead us through the metaphorical fog of life into something much greater.

What Thoreau Missed

As his journey in the woods of Massachusetts came to a close, Thoreau’s final thought pertains to finding true life through slowing down and isolating yourself, thus, finding oneself through that. He writes that there is, in fact, a better life than the one that most modern people are living. He states that life is found through the guise of one’s own will and nature. Even though he thought he had found it, the true essence of life Thoreau so desperately wanted was never found. His search, contemplations, and writings are a great value and continue to bring challenging questions to individuals, even to this day. Most importantly though, he missed the mark on the most critical thing which is stated at the end of Ecclesiastes.

Though subtle, the presence of two voices in the book of Ecclesiastes becomes clear. What we read, is the Preacher’s work taken at a later date and expanded further upon by a father to his son. This second narrator takes the depressive nature of the preacher’s conclusions and agrees with him. The road of life is often unclear and can appear random in many instances. We all live a short life just to die someday. The father, however, gives the son (and the reader), the source of true life and how to follow it. In the last two verses of the book, he states, “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

Later on in the Bible, we are introduced to the life and sacrifice Christ made for us. All across the New Testament are statements that Christ is the true life. To live a life for the sake of the cross is a life full of meaning and worth. The vanity of life becomes less obtrusive, while the light of the Son’s love guides us. What Thoreau missed in his isolation was that we ourselves can’t produce and find the source of life through our own will. Solitude, contemplation, and wisdom all fall short when they are not directed towards Jesus. We find the abounding source of eternal life through the arms of Christ, the pursual of the cross, and keeping the Lord’s commandment.

Ecclesiastes and Walden will forever be some of my favorite pieces of literature for two reasons. One: That they both question fundamental things that can be so easily forgotten about, or not thought of at all. Two: Both books lead me to think about the true essence of life. Where Walden provokes the question Ecclesiastes answers it.

Conclusion

I urge you, the reader, to consider the path that you are on. Are you striving towards things that will eventually loose there significance? Are you opening up your heart to different products, material items, wealth, and earthly wisdom disregarding the true life we can find through Christ? Instill in your heart that all things outside of the Lord are vanity and that the search for life in its truest sense comes from one source. A life worth living starts with the One who laid Himself on a tree, bearing affliction and death, rising from the grave and ascending into heaven. True life begins the moment we understand that Christ Himself is the bread of life, and that “he who has the son has the life…”

 

 

 

 

A couple of weeks ago, I finished reading the book of Joshua. Going into it I wasn’t sure what to expect. Outside of the stories such as the walls of Jericho falling or the conquest that Joshua and the people of Isreal go on to gain the promised land, there were many small details that I was unaware of. Within the last few chapters of the book, as Joshua completes dividing the land to each of the twelve tribes of Isreal, a particular verse stood out to me in a deep-rooted way. “Thus the Lord gave to Isreal all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. And the Lord gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the Lord had given all their enemies into their hands. Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Isreal had failed; all came to pass.” (Chapter 21:43-45)

Striking a chord within me, I began to think of how the Lord’s promises never fail. I began to consider how all things He says always come to fruition. This realization lead me to think about a story that was told by my dad. The line of ancestors that come from my grandmother’s line bears the name Scribner, which means “scribe.” Naturally, with a name like this, the majority of this line consisted of writers. Explaining this to me, my dad continued by showing me some of their work throughout the years. One manuscript was written by my great great grandmother Mary, dated in 1903. The styling and flow of the manuscript were seamless while the content of the work became even more appalling. In this particular manuscript, she wrote on the power and complexity of the cross. Reading this lined perfectly with my sudden realization of this very concept through my current readings. Further, down the Scribner line contain similar individuals who through their writings and archives, share a unique and powerful love and passion for Christ. Within that line, in fact, resides a now-famous writer, theologian, and politician by the name of John Owen.

Contacting various people directly related and indirectly related to the Scribners, my dad was able to compile a chart showing each and every one of the Scribner line up until the early 1800s. It was compelling to see and further reflect on this. It was clear that God had been working within those people primarily through their gifting of writing. Throughout the conversation, my dad said something that I will never forget. “Your ancestors paved the way through prayer and walking with Christ so that you carry that same spiritual DNA. You are the recipient of their prayers and blessings.”

In tandem with this verse in Joshua, the statement above lead me to think about the promises that God has instilled within all of us. God never fails in doing what He says He will do. In the vision Abraham had in the valley, God showed Him the hundreds of thousands of stars in the sky and promised him that this would be the multitude of his people. The Lord also promised that the future people of Isreal would inherit a promised land. Abraham had Issac, who then had Jacob. Later on, Moses then leads the Israelites out of slavery paving the way for Joshua to finally fulfill the calling God had promised Abraham hundreds of years earlier. In hindsight, we see the work and the people the Lord calls for His plan to be completed. However, when we are placed in the heat of the moment, similarly to Moses being chosen to be Israel’s deliverer, we tend to be blinded by the circumstances we face. Lacking the knowledge of what is to come in the future leads us to become self-serving and ignorant of the vision God has placed within us.

Not seeing Isreal enter the promised land in Abraham’s and Moses’ case must have resounded in confusion and possible anger towards God. If I was told that I would be the leader to bring God’s chosen people into a promised land, I would expect to see that fulfilled in my life. Through both stories of Abraham and the Scribners, I have realized that God used the forefathers of Isreal to prepare a way for future leaders such as Joshua. This principle remains the same with us now. Demonstrated by the Scribner line, part of the vision that was instilled within them currently inhabits me; that vision being expressing the nature of Christ through the medium of writing.

Throughout this past week, I have been thinking about this connection, and how God may use my life for His glory. I found myself asking rhetorical questions and daydreaming of situations where my work would lead me to become famous. Although this probably won’t be the case, I began to notice my mind drifting to the ways in which I could be glorified. Who knows where my life and work will take me. Who knows how I could be called to impact others in my life. In the end, it means nothing outside of the promise that has already been given to us. The coming of Christ and the death He paid for us constitutes as the ultimate promise. God has incorporated me within His perfect plan. He is the only one who knows how my life will impact others. He is the only one who will place a calling in me, which could prepare a way for those who will come after my life.

Above all else, God calls us to follow Him in everything we do. As the Holy Spirit grows us, we continue to embody the promises of God. He could be calling you to be a future Abraham who establishes a seed within a people who are lead by faith. He could be calling you to be a future Joshua who leads God’s chosen people to follow His commandments and fight the constant uphill battle we are faced with. We are called to live a life unwavering from the face of God. The specific promise and perception that He gives us come through faith; a faith not only in what God is doing in the present tense but, in the ways God will use your life to pave a path for future generations.

 

In most circumstances in life, when you live a particular way, it may start to feel routine and bland. The coffee that you have been drinking every day doesn’t provide the surge of flavor it did when you first had it. The show that you have rewatched again and again may get to the point where you think you have absorbed everything. You may interact with a friend you have known for a long time and not realize the minor changes in their personality or mood. As someone who has been raised Christian my entire life, the classic stories of the insanely old Noah building the Ark, Moses splitting the Red Sea, and of course, the story of Jesus are stories that simply became familiar.

Being the central figure in the entire Bible, with individuals prophesying ages before He was born, most every Bible class and sermon incorporates the life, death, and hope Christ brings through His resurrection. At the beginning of this year, I read a book written by Art Katz titled, “And they crucified Him.” This book was not only one of the best and convicting things I have ever read, but it conveyed something to me that I was completely oblivious too. That concept was the power of the cross. Reflecting on why this was, I quickly realized that in my sin, I used the excuse of hearing the same story told many times in my life as something less important than it actually is. The instrument used to put God Himself to death and the profound significance of His willing sacrifice for my sin simply became another Bible story.

Eventually finishing this book, I spent much time contemplating why my lost conviction for the cross occurred, and what were some of the main points that spoke to me were. A quote by A.W. Tozer comes to mind. “The stiff and wooden quality about our religious lives is a result of our lack of holy desire. Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth. Acute desire must be present or there will be no manifestation of Christ to His people.” Complacency brought to my personal context was the blinding and sinful nature of familiarity, as well as my lack of awareness of how great the cross truly is.

The Bible states in multiple areas that a savior would come to the world, not as one who would triumphantly enter through the gates of Jerusalem, but one who would eventually be lead like a lamb to the slaughter, not opening His mouth (Isaiah 53:7). Reading through the different prophetic scriptures as well as the gospels themselves, we quickly and coherently understand that Christ’s death was one of humility and sacrifice. We know that through this death that the Son of God endured, we have access to eternal life. Many Christians understand why Christ died for us and what that means but what about the cross itself? Why would a form of death so brutal, so sickening and tormenting beyond belief be the one thing that was acceptable to the Father? Why would God choose this death for Himself? Victims of the cross were flogged mercilessly in order to crush their spirits. They would then have to carry the top half of the cross on their back that had been slashed to the bone. When the executioners felt that the victim had suffered enough, they would break their legs, causing fluid to enter into their lungs, asphyxiating them. Some historians say that the physical death was a relief from the endless torment they received beforehand. Why was this the way Christ was called to die?

God did this to reveal His deepest nature to the world. The cross was the ultimate picture of His divine being, dying a criminals death, contorting and searing every human conception about Him. “From God’s point of view, the cross is calculated to cut through every self-serving disposition in man.” (Katz). The sprawled form of our Redeemer, ruthlessly beaten to where many did not recognize Him, being publically nailed to a cross and hung naked for all to see. Katz later communicates that until we reach heaven, we will never fully understand the entirety of the cross. “The cross is intended to stretch us. It must and should be ever and always before us, constantly challenging us, constantly deepening our union with God.” Knowing that Christ’s death, in its nauseating and appalling form, was perfectly planned and performed for the sake of our eternal salvation is truly humbling. “The suffering of Christ can only do its redemptive work when we see it in the context of what is required to expiate and expunge sin from our early bodies.” The cross was and is the only thing that will bring us to the point of realization and repentance of the weight of our sin.

The example Christ gave on that day at Golgotha was, in fact, a calling for us as believers to do the same. If the Son of man and God suffered to give freedom we never deserved, should we then be willing to take up our cross? My conception of this calling transforms every time I struggle in my life. This doesn’t just apply to the large challenges and struggles in our lives. It can simply be a small difficulty faced in the day. Like a diamond put in front of a light, the different qualities and characteristics of this concept reveal itself to me as I experience different scenarios in which my faith is provoked. When my lack of humility expresses itself through my words or actions, this becomes a  direct disregard toward God. “How disrespectful toward God when we retain our pride! God will be diminished in the eyes of others; His reputation- His name- will suffer loss.” To walk an intentional Christian life is to walk a life full of suffering and humiliation, continually surrendering ourselves to the conception that “our ability” is nothing without the cross. We tend to lavish our days with the puffing up of our egos through the process of forgetting the cross and focusing on our personal achievements. This is not what Christ wants, or has in store for us. “We take up our cross knowing that we are going to a place of ultimate suffering and humiliation unto death. The cross is the only instrument upon which our natural man, our self-life is put to death. It is only on this true and ultimate ground that the sanctifying work of God can take place.”

In each and every moment of the day, the cross should be at the forefront of our minds. I have found the process of doing this turns into a constant battle of tug of war that I usually lose. Generally, I will think about God in the mornings as I am reading my Bible, followed by saying a prayer right before I go to bed. In-between the time of the morning and the night, my mind is filled with everything BUT the cross.

We as Christians should continually be aware of the different circumstances that call us to the cross. If we do not look for these callings, we succumb to sin and suffer in the opposite way God wants for us. “We grow in the humiliation that at our best, we are still not enough in God’s holiness.” We grow from bowing to the weight of the cross and realizing on a moment by moment basis that we will never be enough, but through God’s grace and sufficiency, we are.

I can’t even begin to elaborate on how much I have disregarded the cross for my own glory, falling into the sin of pride and not allowing the calling God has given me to take its profound effect. Even to this very second, I struggle to live a life that is full of the cross. I cease to be continually moved by the grace, and eternal sacrifice Christ paid with His body for me. My familiarity with the cross seemingly gives me the excuse to halfheartedly think about it from time to time. I was and still, am incredibly wrong. The cross is something that I will never fully comprehend until the day my spirit is taken into heaven. Nevertheless, the weight of our sin and the calling to bear our cross and suffer in the same way Christ has should be a driving force for everyone to fall to their knees in adoration and repentance. Thinking about this, it makes me question what other things have I disregarded due to familiarity. I urge you, the reader, to reflect upon potential things that you may have shut your heart to. Like me, you may have countless things that you have turned a blind eye to. If I can leave you with one thing, it is to never cease to look upon and allow the power of the cross to fill and move you.

 

As the previous year has come to a close, I have found myself contemplating what has transpired throughout the last twelve months. It has been a year of incredible growth, both through experiences good and bad. As I look back on the key points of this year, one thing reigns true and continues to perplex me. That thing is the presence of the Lord within my life and the different elements of His grace, mercy, and truth that have been interwoven deeper into my daily life. As my faith has continued to grow, it is remarkable looking back at how He is always with us, forming, and crafting us into the creation we were meant to be; just like a potter shaping clay. The amount of blessings and growth that I have experienced gives me hope for the future, and ultimately peace and clarity knowing that when anything in life arises, God is always right beside you in the wilderness. A quote by Charles Dickens comes to mind where he says that reflecting on our blessings is essential within life, and eventually, we will realize the grand extent of them as we continue to contemplate.

2018 introduced and challenged me to the concept of authenticity not only within my daily life but most importantly in my faith. Being raised for as long as I can remember in the church, the stories and lessons began to blur and the interest I once had slowly throughout the years began to die. Soon enough, I found it hard spending an hour and a half in church every Sunday because of the trap I had fallen into which was my “faith” not being my own but my parents. That lie began to take root in my mind, making it more difficult to hold on to the promises that were spoken into me all those years. Slowly, I began to fall away.

Early January of last year, early in the blackness of the morning, a thought, followed by an action came into being. That thought was what if I took hold of this faith not as my parents but as my own. And the action immediately following was opening my Bible and flipping to the book of Hebrews. Throughout those next few quiet mornings, I was able to fall back in love with the power Gods word brings, and also the profound truth realized; the choice of following Christ is a decision I personally have to make, not my parents. Taking hold of this reality altered the way in which I approached Christianity and its attributes. Being authentic in the way that I view my faith has become something that has moved me in uncomfortable and new ways that the old me wouldn’t have considered. The push to be fully authentic not only changes the perspective on how I walk in my spiritual life, but it also bled into my lifestyle. Pursuing the things that I felt called to began to take deeper root and the thoughts and viewpoints that others held diminished. The calling to who I am rung louder in my ears and in my heart as the year moved on. What began as a slow walk towards a newfound sense of truth began to turn into a full-on sprint.

Last year also challenged me to the mindset of surrendering my personal will and receiving what God has in store for my life. Gods will as a concept and a reality never took hold of me until last year. When the prophets such as Jerimiah and James detail how we alone do not own or control our lives, this made me question how it applied to me. The weight of His truth eventually began to build until my mind was made up. In order to be a true, authentic follower of Jesus, one must continually bear the cross of surrender, uncertainty, temporary pain, and faith. Through many books and conversations, this will grew into an aspect of my life that continues to give me strength and hope for the future. Coincidently, the topic of continually surrendering and faith emerged again and again throughout the year. Even as the last week of 2018 passed by, I was comforted and moved by the words of a few pastors, describing that same action of constantly relinquishing our will for the sake of a higher will.

With the new year already in full swing, it is powerful to look back and see how God has taken me from a child in my faith to a slightly bigger and more mature child. Lessons such as authenticity and the surrender of my will have taught me many valuable things that I have become so grateful for. Writing this now, I realize how far I have to go in order to truly encompass these concepts. As a challenge for you, the reader, take some time to reflect on the various ways God has shaped you this past year. I pray that the profound sparks of truth that touched me last year and continue to touch me do the same to you in unique ways.

Pride and the reliance on ego are the most common and life-threatening sins that we as humans can fall into.  It so effortlessly seeps into our minds taking root, and can eventually be the guiding aspect of how we think, communicate, and mentally process things. An author by the name of Andrew Murray states that “Pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you.” This quote along with many others have provoked me into thinking about the concept of pride, and how it ultimately disconnects us from what should truly be its replacement: humility. How and why would we choose humility over the benefit of ourselves? Understanding that pride is something that will eventually lead us to death is the first step that all people need to take on the road to humility. We need to understand that in order to think less of ourselves we need to be thinking of something else more. Our flesh is defeated by thinking more and more about God. With humility, our eyes are fixed on something greater, rather than being continuously fixed on our own lives.

The word humility itself refers to a state of lowliness. It can be pictured as a tool or a force that levels us out to be less sufficient with ourselves and more present with God himself. God brings us to a point of humility because of the very world we live in. Paul states in Romans 12:2 that we must not think of ourselves in a prideful manner, rather, we must think with a sound mind. We as sinful people need to be humbled and brought to a low place in order to see different aspects of God in greater detail, and for His spirit to work through us without our hearts being hard. Within life, God will use different seasons and elements to bring us to a point of lowness, whether we are ready for them or not. These seasons are the times in which we experience the most growth particularly through the Spirit of God working through us.

The apostle Peter gives insight on the concept of suffering and how God uses it to produce humility within us. He uses the example Jesus gave to us through the suffering he endured saying that in Gods timing, those who suffer will be lifted up. Christ set an example for us so that we may follow it and be made low for His glory. When we suffer under the guise of sin in this world, we are pressed into making two decisions; repaying evil for evil, or staying low with the understanding that God is not only working in you but also through that other individual. As we suffer, Peter encourages us that we must continually cast our desires away with the rest of the world and focus on the aspects of Christ and heaven. When we are made low in this world, the roles will reverse in the spiritual world. The humble will be exalted because the very nature of Christ is being exalted through us.

We as inherently faithless and sinful beings were given a gift that was born into this world, matured in the same way all people do, and eventually gave His life as a sacrifice to bridge the gap between the eternal decay we rightfully deserve and everlasting life. This gift, showered in the blood of Christ, is the gospel. Due to the weight of our sin, there had to be a substitute that satisfied and relinquished the curse of death eternally. The life that Jesus gave was that perfect piece of the puzzle that made the entire picture come together. Right before his death in the garden, Christ knelt before His father and humbled Himself to His will. We witness Jesus journey to the cross humbled himself to the point of death. God presents humility to us through the example Christ gave us. Through the realization of how great our sins are and how the gift that Jesus gave is the only thing that is will relieve us of sin eternally, it brings us to the point of humility within ourselves so that we may bow down and let the perpetual life that God provides into our life.

Similarly to the previous point, God uses repentance and His grace and mercy to bring us to a point of humility. Repentance is the fruit that has been produced by the roots of humility. Through His grace, God uses humility both in this life and in our eternal life. On earth, as we acknowledge our sin, we are humbled by the grace God brings to us. When we are in our eternal life, we will be brought low by the majesty of His mercy, and we will be able to understand what it is to be humble in a completely different light.

God uses many different aspects to humble us. Sometimes it can be through suffering, while others might be through His love and mercy as we are brought to a place of repentance. God will use these scenarios to open up our minds and our hearts to ultimately drawing closer to Him. We can look to Christ’s example that he set for us when he submitted to the father’s will. Through Christ’s humility and sacrifice, we were relinquished from the eternal weight of sin. Let us see these examples and say, “Who am I to receive that type of grace and mercy?” Regardless of how God works through us as a means to draw us closer to Him, the real question stands: When the time or situation comes to humble yourself, how will you respond?

 

 

Hebrews 4:15-16 depicts an image of a high priest who once was unable to sympathize with human mortal frailty and vulnerability. That was until the one named Jesus came down to earth to bear the flaws, the shortcomings, and the shame that our flesh brings. Yet, living in this world surrounded by iniquity and vile intentions, He was able to console with the weakness of our flesh. However, He alone did not fall to the monolithic weight of sin. He bowed to the father with hands shaking and voice trembling, crying out in weakness. Christ was aware of his own earthly frailty, but in that, he pressed into the father, which is where the weakness surrounding him became the ultimate fount of strength.

Everyone who is born in this world is inherently weak, regardless of whether they are willing to admit it or not. We continually fall to sin daily which may bring us to the mindset that we are weak. Though this may be true, one aspect that is often not understood is that our weakness is altered into a supernatural strength through the love and grace of God. When we submit ourselves to the father, just as Christ did in the garden, his grace will be made sufficient through us. (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Weakness… Within the writing of the book of Acts, we witness the story of Saul being blinded and crippled as the Lord reveals Himself to Saul. One question that arises is why God refused to restore Saul to his normal state. If I were in that situation, I would be dealing with feelings of guilt, shame, and total repentance to the Lord. I doubt Saul was any different at that moment, however, that still begs the question; Why was he not healed at that moment? The answer is weakness.

God left Paul in his crippled state for that particular amount of time because, in his weakness, Gods grace was made sufficient and His power was made perfect. This begs the conclusion that Gods power is the strongest within us when we are made weak, and what we need is His everlasting grace rather than a dramatic deliverance.

Within the world today, this mindset is almost non-existent. As a society, we are continuously being fed doctrines and raging philosophies on how we should act, and how our weakness is a trait that should be submerged. Movies, Tv shows, video games, etc, all promote the value of individualistic strength and the benefits it brings. This either consciously or subconsciously translates into the minds of individuals day by day. We as a people act as if we have everything put together, yet, this is quite the opposite of what God wants for us.

If I personally could sustain myself in all the things that I do, I would continually look to myself as god, not putting my faith in anyone else but myself. But I can’t carry the weight of my flesh and sin on my own. That is where God has always been in my life. His presence has continually been pushing me towards that state of weakness so that I can draw closer to Him. His power is the strongest in our decrepit state. If Gods grace and mercy is sufficient for my life, then I myself don’t receive any of the glory; rather, it is Him alone who receives it. His power is fully displayed through the weakness of our lives.

The consequences of living in a sin-infested world are that we face an eternal hell. The weight of this reality burdens us on a continual basis, drilling deeper and deeper into our frail ego. As believers, this reality leads us not to rely on ourselves but to rely on the blood of Jesus and the eternal grace that flows through that. It is not through our own power that we are raised from the dead but it is through Christ’s blood that we are set brought closer to Him.

We suffer and struggle in our weak state because God wants us to realize that he alone is our only hope and strength. God brings me through the valley of the shadow of death so that I can cling to Him for strength, and so I can put my hope and trust in Him to lead me through this life. Thomas Merton says that our weakness should not bring us, terror, rather, it should be our source of liberation and fortitude. “Libenter gloriabor in infirmitatibus meis ut inhabitet in me virtus Christi. Power is made perfect in infirmity, and our very helplessness is all the more potent a claim on that Divine Mercy Who calls to Himself the poor, the little ones, the heavily burdened.” -Merton

When my mind traverses through all the different scenarios’ s that my life may turn to, it becomes easy to slip into trusting myself. It is not inherently wrong with planning ahead, however, when my trust waivers, I begin to lose my trust in His sufficiency. The Proverbs instructs us to trust the Lord with all of our hearts, and not to lean on our own understanding. When I lean on my own understanding, I fail to lean on Gods perfect grace and power, which is far beyond my understanding. 

The solution to our weakness is not our ability to trudge through life with a hard heart and thick skin, rather, the solution comes through the act of submitting our lives to Christ’s perfect grace and mercy. As the days and weeks go on, let us be conscious of our state of weakness and throw ourselves into Christ’s presence, putting our faith solely on Him alone. Rest in your personal weakness, so that you may rest in Gods perfect grace and mercy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

(John 4:21-26)

Being involved with worship at my church has opened many doors for me spiritually. It gives me a creative outlet through the instruments I play and provides a different tone in which I experience worship. Recently, however, I have been drawn to the topic of what it is to worship in a truly authentic way, rather than simply going through the motions and habits proven every Sunday.

I became interested in the concept of what true worship was, and how one could enter embrace it. I was prompted with the fundamental question, what is worship? Worship can be expressed through a multitude of things such as the beauty of nature, the different unique way in which animals look or act, or the way in which we spend our time. Worship, however, in the traditional and spiritual sense is the cultivation of your body, mind, and spirit all joined in union under the creator. Similarly to the Trinity, we lay ourselves down unitively (body, mind, and spirit), before the throne room of God.

One may know what the act of worship is, but what becomes of the individual when they enter a time of worship remains far more shadowed in retrospect.  In John 4:21-26, Jesus describes how we are not to enter worship in a physical place, rather, a spiritual place because he is the definition and cultivation of Spirit and Truth. Through the act of worshiping in a purely spiritual way, we inherently are drawn closer to God as his spirit communes with ours.

Conceptually, the act of worship has been a very holy thing since the start of the church. However, it has never occurred to me personally that worship is an act one should take part continually throughout their lives. John Piper says that apart of true worship is a valuing or a treasuring of God above all things. This made me reflect on the way I live my life day by day, and what some of the areas in which I am lacking in spiritual worship. Is it not devoting my time in the morning to reading the Bible or going through devotions? Or is it the small things, such as receiving words of affirmation from a friend or co-worker and not thanking God for the gifts and opportunities he has given me. A strong part of authentic worship is placing God above everything else continually and consistently.

This call is obviously much harder than it looks, or else, we as a nation and people would be in a much better place. As Christians, Christ requires us to lift our cross for our entire lifetime. He doesn’t guarantee it will be non-burdensome. It is quite the opposite. Our walk as Christians is filled with pain, suffering, and hardship, all in the name of the one who took death onto himself for us. Relating this to authentic worship, it is apparent that achieving this is not easy. It takes constant faith that is tested and stretched as our spirits reach towards Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Through this spiritual suffering and through faith, we as Christians believe that the Lord will lift us up and into his holy presence.

As we internalize what worship is and what some of the callings Christ has ingrained in us, the question remains: “what becomes of you in a physical, mental, and spiritual state as you breakthrough and enter into true worship?” When we have praised Him and offered a throne for him to reside on in our hearts, then we have come to the destination: the throne room of the Father, with Christ seated at his right hand, in the holy presence of Mount Zion. At this very moment, our praises quiet before they are slowly yet so rapidly turned into pure worship. Worship is what has your complete attention, focus, and devotion. It can be portrayed not just in Church every Sunday morning, rather, it can be expressed through the smalls details of daily life. I have come to find that worship in its simplest form is giving honor and respect to a person or object. Some might picture a traditional Catholic mass. Someone kneeling down, giving praises to God as a particular definition and application of worship. However, it is far more complex than that. That is why it is so easy to worship things such as cars, money, attention, etc… It doesn’t only mean we bow to it, it means that those objects get our attention, devotion, and focus. In the case of worshiping God, it means that we are giving him our full, undivided attention, as well as worth and honor. Here, at this point in time where the objects are dethroned from our psyche and God is placed on the throne of our hearts. This is the moment where the atmosphere changes, where God’s anointing is poured over us, granting us the spiritual gifts brought through by the Holy Spirit.

While we enter into this true worship, our spirits (metaphorically) extend and reach out towards heaven, where God is seated in His splendor. Our physical bodies remained restricted by the laws of the universe, however, our spirits are free from those limitations. As we do this, our spirits are connected with the Holy Spirit at the throne room of God, as we enter into true communal and authentic worship.

I will leave you with this question: What are some of the things in life that are prohibiting you from basking in the Spirit of worship? I will let you fill in the blanks, however, a great Theologian once said that we must delve into our inner selves, root out what is causing a disconnect, and re-align with the truth in order to truly grow and develop the way God has intended for us.

As for me, I realize the growth process will never cease to continue. No matter the distance I traverse over the course of my days, I am constantly reminded of the mercy and patience God has for me as I continually stumble and fall flat on my face in failure. He will never stop wanting us to enter into his presence whether it be through the medium of worship, prayer, or service. I pray that you, my reader would choose to place God on the highest seat of your heart, allowing you to access the holy gift of true worship.