Be Enthroned - Jeremy Riddle

I was pretty sure I loved this song a couple weeks ago. Then I tried to learn to play it/sing it for church to introduce it new last weekend. And that went really poorly. So then I decided I hated it (which is a silly reason to hate a song, but, it's how I was feeling). Then...it got STUCK in my head.

You know the song. The one that just won't go away.

So you start to think about the words... and what they mean... and maybe, just maybe, that song works its way back into your good graces.

"Be enthroned upon the praises of a thousand generations You are worthy, Lord of all. Unto You the slain and risen King we lift our voice with heaven singing worthy, Lord of all."

There's a lot going on in my life right now that I don't understand. Lives of people around me have been rocked to the very core, through loss, through their parent's choices, through human sin... I don't get it. This song has been a reminder that in the end, HE will win. In the end, we tried to kill Him, but He came back. The mercy we see each day is because of the blood that he paid.

So on through eternity we cry worthy, Lord of all. When we have nothing left. When we are poured out. We remember that His blood was poured out for us so that we can lift our voice with heaven, singing worthy, Lord of all.



We've come to join the song
Sung long before our lives
To raise our voice along
Heaven and earth alike

We've seen Your faithful hand
Your mercy without end
A King who bled and died
A God who sacrificed

Be enthroned upon the praises of
A thousand generations
You are worthy, Lord of all
Unto You the slain and risen King
We lift our voice with heaven
Singing worthy, Lord of all

All through this life we lead
And on through eternity
Our endless praise, We'll cry
Jesus be glorified

Be enthroned upon the praises of
A thousand generations
You are worthy, Lord of all
Unto You the slain and risen King
We lift our voice with heaven
Singing worthy, Lord of all

Highest Praises
Lord of all

His Heart Beats - Andrew Peterson

Friday. A day of defeat. Jesus is dead and placed in the tomb. What a feeling of defeat.
Saturday. nothing.
Sunday.

thump... thump...

His heart beats!!

What a confusing day that must have been. Broken by grief, scared for their lives. And here's Jesus, living, breathing, heart beating.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat????

"Cause the blood that brought us peace with God
Is racing through His veins...
He took one breath,
and put death to death."

We have life, not just because He died, but because He didn't stay dead.

"His heart beats... He will never die again..."

May you have confidence in Him. "The lamb of God who was slain for us is a lion ready to roar." May you hear that roar today, and every day!


His heart beats
His blood begins to flow
Waking up what was dead a moment ago
And His heart beats, now everything is changed
'Cause the blood that brought us peace with God
Is racing through His veins
And His heart beats
His heart beats

He breathes in
His living lungs expand
The heavy air surrounding death turns to breath again
He breathes out
He is word and flesh once more
The Lamb of God slain for us is a Lion ready to roar
And His heart beats

So crown Him the Lord of Life
Crown Him the Lord of Love
Crown Him the Lord of All

He took one breath
And put death to death
Where is your sting, O grave?
How grave is your defeat
I know, I know His heart beats

He rises, glorified in flesh
Clothed in immortality, the firstborn from the dead
He rises, and His work's already done
So He's resting as He rises to reclaim the Bride He won
And His heart beats

So crown Him the Lord of Life
Crown Him the Lord of Love
Crown Him the Lord of All

He took one breath
And put death to death
Where is your sting, O grave?
How grave is your defeat
I know, I know His heart beats

The last enemy to be destroyed is death
The last enemy to be destroyed is death
He must reign until no enemy is left
The last enemy to be destroyed, to be destroyed is death

His heart beats, He will never die again
I know that death no longer has dominion over Him
So my heart beats with the rhythm of the saints
As I look for the seeds the King has down
To burst up from their graves

I know, I know
He took one breath
And put death to death
Where is your sting, O grave?
How grave is your defeat
I know, I know
He took one breath
And put death to death
Where is your sting, O grave?
How grave is your defeat
How great, how great is His victory
I know, I know His heart beats
I know, I know His heart beats
His heart beats

I Surrender - Hillsong

I want... I fear... I surrender...

What do you want?
What do you fear?
What are you willing to surrender?

I've been doing this journal exercise for a while now. I generally fly through the I want question. The fear question has been coming easier. But so far the I surrender question is still a struggle. A big struggle. I haven't yet ripped the page out of my journal, but I have come pretty close. Surrender is hard. It's vulnerable. It's scary. It requires change.

"I surrender, I surrender... I want to know you more..."

What's funny is "I want to know God more" will end up on my I want list. But that part before it, the part where I have to give something up as out of my control? Not my favorite.

And yet, this week, as we celebrate Holy Week - we celebrate Jesus surrendering everything.

God make me so desperate for you that I find myself down on my knees, willing to surrender it all. Speak to me now, I want to know you more.

I want you to do in me all that you need to do, in order to do through me all that you want to do.

(I first heard about this journal prompt on a podcast about church planting actually, if you want to hear it check it out on the Startup podcast, it's in Church Planting 5: The Retreat, but the whole Church Planting series is pretty interesting...pretty sure I binge listened to it in a day and a half.)



Here I am
Down on my knees again
Surrendering all
Surrendering all

And find me here
Lord as You draw me near
Desperate for You
Desperate for You

I surrender

Drench my soul
As mercy and grace unfold
I hunger and thirst
I hunger and thirst

With arms stretched wide
I know You hear my cry
Speak to me now
Speak to me now

I surrender
I surrender
I wanna know You more
I wanna know You more

I surrender
I surrender
I wanna know You more
I wanna know You more

Like a rushing wind
Jesus breathe within
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

Like a mighty storm
Stir within my soul
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

Like a rushing wind
Jesus breathe within
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

Like a mighty storm
Stir within my soul
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

Like a rushing wind
Jesus breathe within
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

Like a mighty storm
Stir within my soul
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

I surrender
I surrender
I wanna know You more
I wanna know You more

I surrender
I surrender
I wanna know You more
I wanna know You more

Deliver Us (revisit) - Jesse Jorgensen

Have you ever had a morning where you walk outside, and you hear the birds chirping, and you want to yell at them to stop because there is nothing good about that morning?

Let your word be the cure, for my wounded heart

As we enter holy week, I think about how the disciples must have felt on Saturday morning. The rest of the world wakes up, and goes about their day. The birds do not know that they shouldn't be chirping.

let your voice speak your life into these bones

The permanence of death. About to be completely shaken.

But today... today... they don't know that.

May your light be my guide, let my ears hear your voice, may my heart be so full of your life

How many people in your world don't know? Don't have that hope? Don't have that light as their guide?

This year has been hard. I've lost more former students in one year than I think in many previous. In super fluky ways - slipping off a cliff, shot in the line of duty, at a routine traffic stop. And it sometimes makes me wonder. Did I show them Jesus? Did I offer them hope? In a space where I often feel like my hands are tied up, did I show them that there was more than just Saturday? That Sunday is coming?

Lord, deliver us for your love is such that it always will endure, Lord reign in us for your peace is what calms the darkest storm

In the midst of death I don't understand, in the midst of pain unimaginable around me... God's peace is what calms the storm. Sunday is coming... and I know it. How can I share that with others? What is the avenue?

This weekend we had an international speaker at church. She lives in what is called a "creative access" country - that means that if she were discovered to be Christian and actively working to share that message she could get kicked out. The parallel of that to teaching in a public school is interesting. I am intrigued by how she shares her message. The stories she uses to tell of God's love. How can I do the same to show that there is hope?

Our hope is not in the will of man, nor the strength of his hand, but only in You...

So whether you find yourself feeling Saturday feelings today, or Sunday feelings... whether you are in the midst of a storm or a lull, may you find hope in the strength of Jesus. The one who rewrote death.


Let your word be the cure
for my wounded heart
let your voice speak your life into these bones
May your light be my guide
Let my ears hear your voice
May my heart be so full of your life

Lord, deliver us for your live is such that it always will endure
Lord, reign in us for your peace is what calms the darkest storm

Lord you calm the storm Lord you calm the storm...
Lord we're Waiting for you, we're waiting for you, deliver us
Lord we're waiting for you, we're calling to you, deliver us

Our hope is not in the will of man
Nor the strength of His hand but only in You

Is He Worthy - Andrew Peterson

Is He worthy? Of all blessing and honor and glory? He is

And He is the only one who is worthy.

And yet He came - He died a horrible death for us. He is the only one worthy to open the scroll, He is the only one worthy of all blessing and honor and glory... and He came, that we might live.

I think most of the time I have no trouble with the fact that He is worthy of God's love. But here's the thing. When we reject God's love for us, we are not saying that we aren't worthy - we're saying that God is a liar...

Does the Father truly love us?
(He does)
Does the Spirit move among us?
(He does)
And does Jesus, our Messiah hold forever those He loves?
(He does)
Does our God intend to dwell again with us?
(He does)

Because that is the truth. The Father truly loves us. The Spirit moves among us, and God intends to dwell in us. The messiah holds forever those He loves, and that's US.

When I decide that I am unworthy of God's love, or unforgivable for my sins, or that I know better than He does just how horrible I am, I call Him a liar. But worse than that, I tend to find pride in just how horrible I can be. Like "look at me, I'm so far gone that even God can't save me". I don't think I do it on purpose to be prideful, but at some point, when I call myself outside of Jesus' blood and love, I am doing just that - claiming to be above God.

So do a heart check - Is He worthy? and if He is, do you believe that you are within his love? The dark isn't going to stop the light from getting through. Nothing is too dark for Him. Believe, and find peace and forgiveness in the shadow of the cross.


Do you feel the world is broken?
(We do)
Do you feel the shadows deepen?
(We do)
But do you know that all the dark won't stop the light from getting through?
(We do)
Do you wish that you could see it all made new?
(We do)

Is all creation groaning?
(It is)
Is a new creation coming?
(It is)
Is the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst?
(It is)
Is it good that we remind ourselves of this?
(It is)

Is anyone worthy?
Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David's root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave

Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy of this?
He is

Does the Father truly love us?
(He does)
Does the Spirit move among us?
(He does)
And does Jesus, our Messiah hold forever those He loves?
(He does)
Does our God intend to dwell again with us?
(He does)

Is anyone worthy?
Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David's root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave
From every people and tribe
Every nation and tongue
He has made us a kingdom and priests to God
To reign with the Son

Is He worthy?Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Is He worthy of this?
He is!
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
He is!
He is!

Glorious Day - Kristian Stanfill (Passion)

Buried. Covered. Stuck. This is how shame makes you feel. Locked in a tomb with no way out. Jesus calls your name... You are free. The stone is rolled away... Your chains are unlocked. Slide your hands out of the shackles and walk free.

The old is made new... If you need rescue, know that you have a future, open your eyes and run out of the grave.

And, if that doesn't seem possible, reach out. I'd love to pray with and for you. No sin is too big!



I was buried beneath my shame
Who could carry that kind of weight
It was my tomb
Till I met You

I was breathing, but not alive
All my failures I tried to hide
It was my tomb
Till I met You

You called my name
And I ran out of that grave
Out of the darkness
Into Your glorious day

You called my name
And I ran out of that grave
Out of the darkness
Into Your glorious day

Now Your mercy has saved my soul
Now Your freedom is all I know
The old made new
Jesus, when I met You

I needed rescue
My sin was heavy
But chains break at the weight of Your glory
I needed shelter
I was an orphan
But You call me a citizen of heaven
When I was broken
You were my healing
Your love is the air that I'm breathing
I have a future
My eyes are open

God Rested - Andrew Peterson

Rest

It's not something I'm particularly good at, but I've been convicted recently of the fact that God demands that we rest. Being proud of how much I can accomplish without resting is not actually Biblical - we're supposed to rest. God rested.

"Six days shall You labor, the seventh is the Lord's
In six, He made the earth and all the heavens
But He rested on the the seventh
God rested
He said that it was finished
And the seventh day, He blessed it
God rested"

God rested. What a good reminder that there is a reason for the waiting. There is a reason for us to take a Sabbath day. A purpose. God left things in a state that we would call "unfinished" - but said that it was finished and he rested.

"And the Pharisees were restless
Pilate had no peace
Peter's heart was reckless
Mary couldn't sleep
But God rested"

As humans, we are restless, not at peace, reckless, and without sleep. But God rested. Things don't always make sense to us (who'm I kidding - things rarely make sense to me) - but nevertheless, God calls us to rest in Him. To wait in the in between times, and find our rest and peace with him. God has blessed the seventh day, the day of rest, despite your circumstances.

May you find your rest in Him... as all creation waits...

So they took His body down
The man who said He was the resurrection and the life
Was lifeless on the ground now
The sky was red His blood along the blade of night

And as the Sabbath fell they shrouded Him in linen
They dressed Him like a wound
The rich man and the women
They laid Him in the tomb

Six days shall You labor, the seventh is the Lord's
In six, He made the earth and all the heavens
But He rested on the the seventh
God rested
He said that it was finished
And the seventh day, He blessed it
God rested

So they laid their hopes away
They buried all their dreams
About the Kingdom He proclaimed
And they sealed them in the grave
As a holy silence fell on all Jerusalem

And the Pharisees were restless
Pilate had no peace
Peter's heart was reckless
Mary couldn't sleep
But God rested

Six days shall you labor, the seventh is the Lord's
In six, He made the earth and all the heavens
But He rested on the the seventh
God rested
He worked till it was finished and the seventh day He blessed it
He said that it was good
And the seventh day, He blessed it
God rested

The sun went down, the Sabbath faded
The holy day was done and all Creation waited