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"I don't wanna talk about You, like You're not in the room. Wanna look right at You, wanna sing right to You." - Kim Walker in 'You Won't Relent" -
I've been stuck on the above song for the past 24 hours. As a worship leader there is so much to appreciate about the recording by the JesusCulture worship team: the freedom, the flow in co-leadership, the passion, the songwriting, etc. But what I am appreciating right now is that their worship reminds me of the presence of God in my life - right now. Even as I write this. Even when I heat up my can of soup. Even when Rennick has finger painted the entire kitchen table. (Ugh!)
The reality is that Jesus is right here. Take a moment.
Is there something you would like to say to Him? Is there something He is saying to you?
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Finding this stream of worship has also been an answer to a simple prayer I have been praying this week: Jesus, lead me.
Here's the thing. I've found, that if you really make your life about following Jesus you don't have to know exactly where you are, you just trust Him. (And as a side note, you are absolutely engrossed in the Person you are walking with that unless He points something out, you won't realize you're in the middle of nowhere.)
Another thing I've noticed about following Jesus is that walking with Him brings you in contact with people who need to meet Him. Broken and lonely people line the path that Jesus walks. I was telling Paul last night, whether we are reading the gospels and deliberately doing exactly as He did, or if we believe the Holy Spirit lives in us and we follow His guidance, we will find ourselves among the sick and the poor.
Think about it for a moment.
"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. Go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but the sinner." Matt 9:12-13
We see this as Jesus heals the sick (physical and spiritual) and feeds thousands. We see the life of the disciples following the Upper Room experience as they boldly share about Jesus the Christ and heal the wounded. In Acts 9, we see Peter next to a paralytic and in a room with a dead woman. How did he end up there?
Following Jesus.
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Jesus has been calling me, again, to follow Him. So I've been paying attention and listening with greater intensity. Here's what He's shown me this week:
- Gave me an image of He and I walking down a path. He asked me stop and help someone along the way. As He called me to move on, I invited that person to come along and move forward. And she did.
- Encouraged me with a new (to me) vein of worship leaders and church leadership. http://www.jesusculture.org
- Reminded me to tend to the flame in my own life and "fan into flame" the one in our community. Corrected my laziness in neglecting the inner place, the place where passion grows and where our identity is found .
- Heard His voice every morning to meet with Him.
- Surrounded me with peace and joy.
- Used me, even in all my flaws, to speak His words of encouragement and show others how He is working in their lives.
Can you hear Jesus calling you to follow Him? Whether you are at the beginning of your journey, have never heard His voice before, have failed a million times, or you are a veteran of the faith, Jesus is calling us to follow Him. He will teach us. He will guide us. He will heal us. He will invite others to walk with us.
He will be with us. Amazing.
s