If we start there...man.

....heal my heart and make it clean...open up my eyes to the things unseen...show me how to love like You have loved me...


....break my heart for what breaks yours...everything I am for Your kingdom's cause...as I walk from earth into eternity...

This song gets stuck in my soul so often and I find myself humming and singing it or tapping out the beat often.  The rest of the song, if you haven't heard it is beautiful as well...but it's really these lyrics, in the bridge, that pierce my heart the most.

When we sing this song.  How many of us really mean these lyrics?  Because if you really mean them....then get ready for God to do some major housecleaning of your being!  I know that He has and continues to do that for me so I say that with no boasting or pride in a knowing way...but in a real and raw way.

If we truly repented....every sin....in order to have our heart healed and clean...every sin...and allowed ourselves to love??  What might that look like?

And if our hearts truly broke for the things of this world that break His heart?  If all the brokenness and mess and filth of this world caused us grief as it should?

I think if you really think about it....many of us gravitate toward one or the other.

We might inwardly be able to look at ourselves, our journey, our need for Him and in our desire to live a devoted life following fast after Him allow ourselves to be chiseled.  Or we might more easily look to the world around us and see all of the ways that we can be salt and light, touching others' lives in powerful ways for Him and impacting the Kingdom.  It's part of what makes us each individuals and have our own niche. 

But.

We need to be about both.

It is not enough to worry only about own selves and our own heart.  Having that kind of focus could very quickly lead us to paths of self-righteousness and a pious view of our relationship with Christ.  If all of our focus is on learning more, reading more, praying more, studying more, obeying more so that we might somehow walk more righteously with Him....well, I don't think that's what it's supposed to be about.

On the other hand, it is not enough to worry only about those who are hurting and in need of a Savior.  Having that kind of focus could very quickly lead us to paths of heresy and self serving ministry that inadvertently lifts us up as the "savior".  If all of our focus is on serving more, giving more, sharing more, reaching more so that we might somehow be the most selfless person...well, I don't think that's what it's supposed to be about.

We need to draw close to Him and allow Him to infiltrate ALL of our lives.  Not just the areas we want Him to go.  We need to lay it all on the line and bust open our sin so that we can be free from that bondage.  We need to love Him so much that we desire to be obedient so that He might know how devoted we are.

We need to see our world for what it really is.  Warts and all.  Sin and all.  Not just in the areas that fit our politics and personal viewpoints.  We need to open up our eyes and let ourselves touch others as He directs.  We need to love the world so much that we desire to make disciples of all nations as He has instructed us to do.

It's so simple really.  When you break it down.

It's the two greatest commandments.  Really.

Love Him with all that I have.
Love others.

If we start there....not just pay it lip service, but really start there.  Man.

Hosanna in the highest!!!!


That's what I got today.