11 “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is! 12 And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it. 13 For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time. 14 And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come. 15 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!
Matthew 11:11-15
Dear God, I think my mind will be absolutely blown when I see the reality on the other side of the veil between this life and the life to come. The first thing I suspect is that we all feel so important in your hierarchy of creation, but verse 11 is a reminder that we are so small and part of something that is so vast and incredible. Beyond our faintest imagination.
This passage makes me think of the Matthew West song “You Are Everything.”
The chorus:
You are everything that I live for Everything that I can't believe is happening You're standing right in front of me With arms wide open all I know is Every day is filled with hope
'Cause you are everything that I breathe for And I can't help but breathe you in and breathe again Feeling all this life within Every single beat of my heart You are everything
That’s my worship this morning. You are everything. I am so small. It’s amazing how self-important I get, but I am so small. Father, I submit myself to you today. I get the opportunity in the midst of my busyness to visit another ministry today to learn from them. Help me to learn what you want me to learn. Help me to know what you might be calling me to to meet the needs around me. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, serenity to accept, courage to change, and wisdom to discern.
I'm the one with two left feet Standing on a lonely street I can't even walk a straight line And every time you look at me I'm spinning like an autumn leave Bound to hit bottom sometime
Where would I be without someone to save me Someone who won't let me fall
You are everything that I live for Everything that I can't believe is happening You're standing right in front of me With arms wide open, all I know is Every day is filled with hope 'Cause you are everything that I breathe for And I can't help but breathe you in And breathe again Feeling all this life within Every single beat of my heart
I'm the one with big mistakes Big regrets and bigger breaks Than I'd ever care to confess Ah, but you're the one who looks at me And sees what I was meant to be More than just a beautiful mess
Where would I be without someone to save me Someone who won't let me fall
You are everything that I live for Everything that I can't believe is happening You're standing right in front of me With arms wide open, all I know is Every day is filled with hope 'Cause you are everything that I breathe for And I can't help but breathe you in Breathe again, feeling all this life within Every single beat of my heart
You're everything good in my life Everything honest and true And all of those stars Hanging up in the sky Could never shine brighter than you
You are everything that I live for Everything that I can't believe is happening You're standing right in front of me With arms wide open, all I know is Every day is filled with hope 'Cause you are everything that I breathe for And I can't help but breathe you in And breathe again, feeling all this life within Every single beat of my heart
You are, oh, you are. Jesus, you are You are everthing
Songwriters Matthew West and Sam Mizell
Dear God, I normally copy and paste lyrics when I do songs like this, but this time I really wanted to sink into this song and worship you with the words so I typed them out. I need some worship time. I feel like I am spinning a little. With some personal struggles combined with preaching in the morning, working alongside my wife tomorrow afternoon with a couple about to get married, teaching a Bible study Monday night and then officiating a funeral on Wednesday, I have a all of these things swirling through my head. How will I manage them? How will I do you justice in all of this? The answer: Stop and worship. Make everything in my being about you. Worship you. Take my eyes off of all of this and just fall into you. Let you do it through me.
To be clear, what I am experiencing is first-world problems. You have given me so much. I was listening to a podcast earlier today and this pastor was talking about exhorting his congregation to make a practice of observing Sabbath, and he got feedback from some that they would love to, but they cannot because they are working two jobs to make ends meet. From his view of the world, choosing to observe the Sabbath was a choice that his “internal Pharaoh” would have to grant, but he realized that a lot of people live with an “external Pharaoh” that compels them to ignore Sabbath.
Another good thing I heard today as I listened to another podcast was the importance of not teaching the secondary benefits of Christianity as our motivation for worshipping you. And I’m not talking about prosperity gospel heresy, but even making the motivation to worship you and live a life of discipleship be attaining the fruits of the Spirit. Yes, that is a side-effect, but I’m here right now not for that. I’m here right now simply because I love you. I’m into you. I first followed you almost 46 years ago. I’ve been intentionally discipling in one way or another for 38 years. Can I see your fruit in my life? Absolutely. Is that why I’m here? No. I’m here because I simply love you.
Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, inhabit me. Inhabit all of my being. I feel like I’ve been broken this week. I feel like you’ve been melting me and molding me. Now fill me to overflowing so that you might overflow onto those around me. All for your glory, oh, Lord. All for your glory.
Emails to God 