Life as a Christian Woman

Indescribable

by Chris Tomlin

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation’s revealing Your majesty
From the colors of fall to the fragrance of spring
Every creature unique in the song that it sings
All exclaiming

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go
Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow
Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light
Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night
None can fathom

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
You are amazing God

Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God
Incomparable, unchangeable
You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same
You are amazing God
You are amazing God

While I was driving home tonight I saw the beginnings of the most amazing storm I have ever seen. Lightning flashed all around us, thunder rolled, rain poured.

As soon as I got home, I went to a window and watched the storm roll in. Lightning so bright it lit the sky like the sun, so bright the street lights were fooled into thinking it was daytime and shut off. Streak after streak of God’s electricity shot across the sky. It went on and on, lasting more than two hours. At one point, it seemed that our little house was smack in the middle of all the action, with lightning on all sides. The thunder shook the walls. The rain pounding on the roof.

It was awesome.

And it reminded me of a song by Chris Tomlin, “Indescribable.”

(Click HERE if you are having trouble viewing the video)

Nothing in God’s world happens by accident. He knows where every bolt of lightning is headed, before it leaves the heavens. He knows where the sun will shine, and where the rain will come down.

God’s world, the world He has given us to live in, is by His design. This world is amazing. We look around and see grass that needs to be mowed, or hedges that need to be trimmed. We see gardens that need to be weeded. When it’s hot, we want cooler weather. When it’s cold, we long for warmth.

That’s all fine, that’s life. But every now and then we need to sit back and be amazed at this world. Amazed that God has pieced it all together, from the smallest insect to the largest mountain. And that it all fits so perfectly.

God’s world is perfectly made. Take a little time to be amazed by His handiwork.

Magnificent Obsession

Lord, You know how much
I want to know so much
In the way of answers and explanations
I have cried and prayed
And still I seem to stay
In the middle of life’s complications
All this pursuing leaves me feeling like I’m chasing down the wind
But now it’s brought me back to You
And I can see again

This is everything I want
This is everything I need
I want this to be my one consuming passion
Everything my heart desires
Lord, I want it all to be for You, Jesus
Be my magnificent obsession

So capture my heart again
Take me to depths I’ve never been
Into the riches of Your grace and Your mercy
Return me to the cross
And let me be completely lost
In the wonder of the love
That You’ve shown me
Cut through these chains that tie me down to so many lesser things
Let all my dreams fall to the ground
Until this one remains

You are everything I want
And You are everything I need
Lord, You are all my heart desires
You are everything to me

You are everything I want
You are everything I need
I want You to be my one consuming passion
Everything my heart desires
Lord, I want it all to be for You
I want it all to be for You

We become obsessed with so many things in life: family, job, cars, sports, clothes… the list goes on and on. But our one true obsession should be, must be, God.

We don’t need to cut other things out of our life. But everything we do, everything we are, should be centered around Him and His will.

He cares about everything in our lives. God is, in fact, obsessed with US! Yet so often He is an afterthought in our busy lives. A church down the road from me has a sign in front that reads “Tomorrow is going to be the busiest day of the week.” And that sums up our lives. “Tomorrow” is always busy. But if we live our lives obsessed with pleasing our Father, the busy-ness will take its proper place behind the One who gives all for us.

He is everything we need, but often we fail to make God everything we want.

Click HERE to listen to Steven Curtis Chapman sing Magnificent Obsession on YouTube

Bringing in the Sheaves

Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,

Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds nor winter’s chilling breeze;
By and by the harvest, and the labor ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping’s over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Words by Knowles Shaw, Music by George A. Minor

Remember the old hymn “Bringing in the Sheaves?” That song used to totally confound me! What in the world did farming have to do with church?

I haven’t thought much about that hymn in years. It isn’t sung much in modern churches. But as I was preparing to write today, I was thinking about planting seeds in peoples’ hearts and realized just how much of Christianity can be compared to the various acts involved in farming.

In farming, we till the soil, preparing it for the seed. In Christianity, we pray for hearts to be softened, to be prepared to hear God’s words of eternal truth. If we don’t do this necessary preparation of prayer, we are throwing seeds upon the hard ground.

In farming, we place the seed in the ground, and cover it with soil. In Christianity, we tell our story of redemption, of healing and love, to those who are lost. Then, once we have planted that seed, we cover the seed in prayer.

In farming, we water, fertilize, nurture the soil to aid the seed in it’s development. In Christianity, we continue to nurture the hearts of the lost through contact, testimony and prayer.

In farming, some of the plants, despite water and sun, wither and die. In Christianity, Satan’s control over the lost can be so powerful as to keep someone from realizing the fact of eternal salvation.

And finally, in farming, at the end of the season, we bring in the harvest. In Christianity, we hope to see the harvest of souls when we meet our Heavenly Father.

We may never see the results of the seeds we have planted, at least not here on earth. But imagine the joy when sitting at the Father’s feet, when you come face-to-face with someone who you prayed for, witnessed to. Talk about a happy day!

Now re-read the words to the hymn “Bringing in the Sheaves,” printed at the top of this blog. Makes a lot of sense, huh?

DAYS OF ELIJAH

Words and Music by Robin Mark

These are the days of Elijah,
Declaring the word of the Lord:
And these are the days of Your servant Moses,
Righteousness being restored.
And though these are days of great trial,
Of famine and darkness and sword,
Still, we are the voice in the desert crying
‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord!’

Behold He comes riding on the clouds,
Shining like the sun at the trumpet call;
Lift your voice, it’s the year of jubilee,
And out of Zion’s hill salvation comes.

These are the days of Ezekiel,
The dry bones becoming as flesh;
And these are the days of Your servant David,
Rebuilding a temple of praise.
These are the days of the harvest,
The fields are as white in Your world,
And we are the labourers in Your vineyard,
Declaring the word of the Lord!

There’s no God like Jehovah.
There’s no God like Jehovah!

Click here to listen to Twila Paris singing Days of Elijah on YouTube.com

What a song! The first time I heard Days of Elijah, I got chills. The verses, all referencing Old Testament prophecy, were so Biblical in nature that it felt like I had just sung my way through a Bible study. The first verse speaks to the times of great trial, challenges all around. And yet, the verse goes on, we are the voice in the midst of all the pain, all the trials, reminding the world that our Lord is coming… Prepare!

The second verse speaks on rebuilding the temple, the coming harvest of souls, and declares that we are the workers, the labourers for God, declaring his word.

How humbling and exhilarating! We are here, working toward our God, serving Him in the fields. The grunt work, some would say.

But then comes the chorus… Behold He comes.

Enough said!

Imagine looking to the skies and seeing our Lord and Saviour, our Christ, emerging through the clouds, trumpets blaring, the heavenly chorus singing. Our salvation arrives.

My favorite songs often reference heaven, Christ’s return. I can’t imagine being in the middle of my day, hearing trumpets, looking up and seeing my Saviour coming for me… ME!

These are trying times. Foreclosures, banks going belly up, employment rises along with gas prices. But what a wonderful future we are guaranteed! How can we be broken when the Great Physician is one prayer away? Earthly worries will fall away, and we will be with our Father for eternity.

There is no God like Jehovah!

Trust & Obey

Words by John H. Sammis, 1887

Music by Daniel B. Towner, 1887

When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way;
While we do His good will,
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Trust and obey,
For there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus,
But to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise,
Not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear,
Not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear,
Not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss,
Not a frown or a cross,
But is blest if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove
The delights of His love,
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows,
And the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet
We will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do;
Where He sends. we will go,
Never fear, only trust and obey.

There is no greater feeling than knowing you are following the will of God. Nothing can compete with that, no job, no ballgame, no experience in life. We are called to “Trust and Obey.”

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you. Psalm 84:11-12

We are blessed to have a God who recognizes our work on His behalf. And we have a God who will never send us on a task we cannot complete, and will not commission us for a job without first ensuring our success. He does not, however, assure victory. There is a difference between success and victory.

Think of the Olympics that just ended. Was the athlete who finished last any less successful than the athlete who took home the gold? No! While the athlete may not have attained victory, he or she was no less successful in achieving the goal of competing.

The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven. Deuteronomy 28:7

As the song says, “But we never can prove the delights of His love, until all on the altar we lay.” God’s favor is for those who follow Him, who obey Him, who trust Him. God will never betray your trust in Him. Never. Our God is a faithful God.

Trust and obey, for there is truly no other way.

Blessed be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like that to that above.

Before our Father’s throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one
Our comforts and our cares.

We share each other’s woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.

When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way;
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.

From sorrow, toil and pain,
And sin, we shall be free,
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity

- Words by John Fawcett
- Music by Wendall Kimbrough

This is one of my favorite hymns. The first verse is a common one sung in churches around the world. In many instances, it is the final song before dismissal, reminding us of our common ground before we exit to the “real world.” It celebrates our unity in Christ, that despite our differences, we are all one in Him. Our hearts are bound in His love, as one.

Most are not as familiar with the rest of the song, but each verse continues with the theme of celebrating our oneness in God. In fact, as you follow the verses, we see the trail of life:

1. We are all united in God’s love.

2. We all pray to God, we share the same fears and worries, as well as the same goals.

3. We care for each other, we carry each other’s burdens. We hurt when our brothers and sisters hurt.

4. When we are separated by death, those left behind hurt. But we rest in the knowledge that we will be joined together for eternity.

5. We live in expectation of the day we will see God, we will enter Heaven.

6. At last, we will be set free from earthly torments and pain, to live in His holy place.

This is a song of unity, of sharing, caring, and love. Our God is not a God of divisiveness, or of hate and separation. Our God does not discriminate. He loves all of His children, no matter their race, color, nationality, or denomination.

We are to be united in love. His grace has set us free! No one group has the monopoly, and no one group should look down on another. We should celebrate our God and His infinite love, which we do not deserve, and yet which He freely gives us, through the blood of His own son.

Remember, “Blessed be the tie that binds” and act accordingly. Because the tie that binds is our Lord and Saviour.

To listen and watch Blessed Be The Tie That Binds, click HERE

Sweet, Sweet Spirit
Words and Music by Doris Akers

There’s a sweet, sweet spirit in this place,
And I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord.
There are sweet expressions on each face,
And I know that it’s the presence of the Lord.

Sweet Holy Spirit, sweet Heav’nly Dove.
Stay right here with us, filling us with your love.
And for these blessings, we lift our hearts in praise.
Without a doubt we’ll know that we have been revived,
When we shall leave this place.

When I was young, we ended every service at my church with this song. Growing up, it never really meant much to me, other than it was time to go to lunch!

But this past year we sang it at the church I now attend, and the words have stayed with me and given me reason to stop, to pause and reflect on their meaning.

The song is a celebration of the Holy Spirit and it’s role in our lives. The opening verse is a reflection of this emotion of gratefulness and praise that the Spirit is within us and among us. There is a spirit here, the song says, and we know it is the Spirit of the Lord, that He is in our presence. We look around at our friends, our brothers and sisters in Christ. We see in them the presence of our Lord.

How wonderful a sentiment!

As the song moves into the chorus, the words implore the Holy Spirit to stay, to fill us up in love. But the song doesn’t stop there. It goes on in thankfulness and praise, knowing the Holy Spirit will remain, and in response we “lift our hearts in praise.” And finally, the blessed assurance that through God’s gift of the Holy Spirit, when we leave we will know that we have been revived, restored to life through Christ.

Doris Akers (pictured above), the writer of Sweet, Sweet Spirit, as well as Sweet Jesus, I Cannot Fail the Lord, and other songs, was born in 1923, and began praising God in music almost from birth. In 1958, she co-wrote “Lord, Don’t Move the Mountain” with the legendary Mahalia Jackson, her close friend. The song won a Manna Award for more than one million copies sold.

That same year, Akers, who was African-American, began the Sky Pilot Choir. The racially-mixed group featured African-American gospel music, and was known world-wide for their style. It was with this group that the song Sweet, Sweet Spirit was born.

As she told Lindsay Terry in an interview in the late 1980’s:

She related to me that one Sunday morning in 1962, while directing the Sky Pilot Choir, she said to her singers, “You are not ready to go in.” She didn’t believe they had prayed enough! They were accustomed to spending time with her in prayer before the service, asking God to bless their songs. She said, “I feel that prayer is more important than great voices.” They had already prayed, but this particular morning she asked them to pray again, and they did so with renewed fervor.

As they prayed, Doris began to wonder how she could stop this wonderful prayer meeting. She said, “I sent word to the pastor letting him know what was happening. He was waiting in the auditorium, wanting to start the service. Finally, I was compelled to say to the choir, ‘We have to go. I hate to leave this room and I know you hate to leave, but you know we do have to go to the service. But there is such a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place.’”

Doris explained to me, “Songwriters always have their ears open to a song. The song started ‘singing’ to me. I wanted to write it down but couldn’t. I thought the song would be gone after the service. Following the dismissal, I went home. The next morning, to my surprise, I heard the song again, so I went to the piano and began to put it all down.” She had been given the now-famous “Sweet, Sweet Spirit.”

I find it inspirational to know that a song that has filled me and blessed me was born out of inspiration!

Akers’ songs have been recorded by many artists, including Bill Gaither, George Beverly Shea, and even Elvis Presley. Millions of church-goers have sung her songs. In 2001, she was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Akers, who died in 1995, was honored by the Smithsonian Institute, which labeled her songs and records “National Treasures.

But I’m quite sure that the award she now enjoys, that of eternal life singing in the greatest choir of all, is the one award that matters!

To listen & View Sweet Sweet Spirit on YouTube, click here.