The Lord has really been speaking gently to me about Him being my Master. It is such a rare word in our vocabulary these days. But it's been such a beautiful thing that the Lord's been taking me through; being able to call Him my Master.
He's reminded me of Mary, the mother of Jesus, saying yes to the Lord to carry and birth the Son of God. She said to the angel, "I am a hand-maiden (bond-slave) of the Lord, may it be to me according to Your word." She trusted her whole life and future into the hands of the Lord so willingly and so wholly! This is my statement to the Lord lately. That I would hear His instructions and that I would say without any hinderance, "yes!"
Christy Nockels wrote a song a few years back entitled, "My Master." I just now stumbled upon what she wrote about the significance of that to her. I could not have said this better, so here are her words:
My dad has been a pastor for as long as I can remember. One of my favorite messages that he used to share was from Exodus 21: 1-6. It's about Hebrew slaves and the process they would go through with their masters after they had served their time. Basically, upon the 7th year, they could go free, or choose to stay. He would tell about the process of the Hebrew slave choosing to stay with their master, even after they were free to go. The slave would publicly go before the community and declare, "I love my master, I will not go free". Then, their ear would be pierced, and the blood would signify a lasting covenant with their master...one made by choice and for all to hear.
He beautifully tied this to our relationship with Jesus, our Master, and reminded us that the disciples often would call themselves "bond slaves" of Christ. We have a will, but when we choose to align ours with His, this brings true freedom and love like we've never known. After he shared this message one night, he felt led to have our church respond in a very unique way... That night many of us lined the aisles of that old church and took the hand of one of the leaders and publicly confessed, "I love my Master, I will not go free". As a teen, that had a great impact on me as those words came from my heart and my mouth, and it still does to this day... Serving and calling Jesus "Master" doesn't' seem to be a real popular thing in this world to have rolling around in your vocabulary and in your everyday life. However, I am compelled to tell of the joy and freedom I have experienced in serving my Master. I will tell of His mighty ways, drawing near to Him and remembering what He has saved me from! Of this, I will forever sing!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Sometimes you need a push!
"Mommy, can you push me?
MOMMY, can you PUSH MEEEEE?"
I hear this question so frequently it's really ridiculous. I want to ask him, "Levi, can't you just pump your legs already?" But I know that at 3 1/2 he is not yet capable of swinging by himself, and he does need me to stand there and push him for about half an hour! But I do have the hope that someday, he'll be able to do it on his own.
I've been thinking about purpose and passion lately. It's been the theme of our church for a few weeks now. My pastor came up to me this Sunday before I stepped up to lead worship, and he said to me, "You are an original! Are you happy to be an original?" And he had me repeat after him that I am an ORIGINAL!
I can get trapped in the thinking so often that I'm not like this person, or this person...so where do I fit in? How can I camouflage myself, is the question I'm really asking!
I remember when I was in the worship band playing the keyboard and singing back-up vocals for years! Occasionally the Lord would whisper in my heart, "You are a worship leader, Anne." It was so quiet, and yet He kept reminding me of His dream for me. And my pastor would come ask me from time to time, "so when are you going to come out from behind the keys, and LEAD?"
It was a push.
I had no way of knowing how deep of a calling it was on my life until I finally lead a song one Sunday! And I loved it. But it was a slow process of uncovering my confidence, my talent, and my passion to be a lead worshipper. And it still is a temptation I fall into too frequently, to compare myself to the other worship leaders, the other leaders in the church, especially when I've just stepped out in confidence to lead the church.
But the Lord doesn't want me to be camouflaged in the church. His heart is for me to step up and fill the space that only I can fill in the church, in life, in my home, in my family. And I have recognized that since I've needed that push from the Lord and from my pastors and family, others around me need one too.
Who doesn't want to be believed in? Anyone? EVERYONE needs a push into their calling and their destiny until they can stand on their own with confidence! The church needs ORIGINALS, the church needs to be called into their giftings. Don't hold back your affirmation from those who are just trying something out, seeing how it fits on them. Give them a push that is backed by the Father.
MOMMY, can you PUSH MEEEEE?"
I hear this question so frequently it's really ridiculous. I want to ask him, "Levi, can't you just pump your legs already?" But I know that at 3 1/2 he is not yet capable of swinging by himself, and he does need me to stand there and push him for about half an hour! But I do have the hope that someday, he'll be able to do it on his own.
I've been thinking about purpose and passion lately. It's been the theme of our church for a few weeks now. My pastor came up to me this Sunday before I stepped up to lead worship, and he said to me, "You are an original! Are you happy to be an original?" And he had me repeat after him that I am an ORIGINAL!
I can get trapped in the thinking so often that I'm not like this person, or this person...so where do I fit in? How can I camouflage myself, is the question I'm really asking!
I remember when I was in the worship band playing the keyboard and singing back-up vocals for years! Occasionally the Lord would whisper in my heart, "You are a worship leader, Anne." It was so quiet, and yet He kept reminding me of His dream for me. And my pastor would come ask me from time to time, "so when are you going to come out from behind the keys, and LEAD?"
It was a push.
I had no way of knowing how deep of a calling it was on my life until I finally lead a song one Sunday! And I loved it. But it was a slow process of uncovering my confidence, my talent, and my passion to be a lead worshipper. And it still is a temptation I fall into too frequently, to compare myself to the other worship leaders, the other leaders in the church, especially when I've just stepped out in confidence to lead the church.
But the Lord doesn't want me to be camouflaged in the church. His heart is for me to step up and fill the space that only I can fill in the church, in life, in my home, in my family. And I have recognized that since I've needed that push from the Lord and from my pastors and family, others around me need one too.
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