Out Sing the Birds

Standing under the dogwood, a whistle, sharp and solid, flies on the breeze to my ear. A cadence of piercing birdsong spanning for several minutes- this bird has something to say. I make my way through the trees, trying to match my sight to the sound. His music fascinates me as he praises his Creator with a melody both lovely and pure. Finally, I spot him in the old walnut tree near the edge of the woods. Perched on the highest limb, his call as bold as his bright red feathers. He knows Who his song is for.

I wish I lived life this way. In certainty of my identity. Brave enough to stand on the highest branch, singing my song without the least concern of what the blue jays or robins or sparrows of nearby trees may think.

The red bird's song is sure and heartfelt.

I want my song to be sure and heartfelt.

And, in that moment, I refuse to let him out sing me.

So I begin filing through the music in my brain. What song do I sing?

What can I proclaim to this early springtime forest, that is alive and dancing in sunlight and birdsong and breezes, that could add even an ounce of beauty?

And so I sing the only thought that makes me fly to the top of the tree and sing my clearest and best.

Jesus loves me. 
This I know.
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong.
They are weak, but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.

And with my song sung to the end, the red bird opens his wings and takes flight over my head and into the thick trees. Having listened to God’s own child declare her praises, he knew. His clear, instinctive melody of worship was no match for the voluntary praise of a precious daughter, clothed in Jesus’ own righteousness. So he flew, knowing he is no match for the human heart. And he and I, red bird and God’s redeemed, both learn what our Creator already knows:

I can out sing the bird.

Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord from the heavens;

    praise him in the heights above.

2 Praise him, all his angels;

    praise him, all his heavenly hosts.

3 Praise him, sun and moon;

    praise him, all you shining stars.

4 Praise him, you highest heavens

    and you waters above the skies.

5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,

    for at his command they were created,

6 and he established them for ever and ever—

    he issued a decree that will never pass away.

7 Praise the Lord from the earth,

    you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,

8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,

    stormy winds that do his bidding,

9 you mountains and all hills,

    fruit trees and all cedars,

10 wild animals and all cattle,

    small creatures and flying birds,

11 kings of the earth and all nations,

    you princes and all rulers on earth,

12 young men and women,

    old men and children.

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,

    for his name alone is exalted;

    his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,

    the praise of all his faithful servants,

    of Israel, the people close to his heart.

Praise the Lord.

Psalm 148

Seen by the One Who Matters

A message of encouragement to you, dear friend. Provided in my best southern twang.

Born to Die

Death, for most of us, will be a surprise. The moment it arrives will leave us in shock and wonder, and hopefully, peace. Some of us, however, will know in advance that death is coming. Through sickness or injury we will know our time is drawing near. But, like I said, most of us will not receive death's warning.

But Jesus knew. His task was set before Him on the day creation was breathed into being. He knew before the stars were placed, before the waters were stirred, before man's footfall fell in the garden.

He knew before He left the womb. Before He could speak or hold a cup. He knew before He spoke with the teachers in the temple, before He grew in stature and wisdom and in favor with God and man.

Jesus knew before He met John in the water, before He foretold that Peter would be a fisher of men. He knew before He was tempted by the Evil One.

He knew before He healed legs and eyes and hearts. He knew before the water became wine. Before the mustard seed, and the 5,000, and the little children. Before the Good Samaritan and the 10 lepers and the rebuke of the wind and the waves.

Before He wept salty tears and sweated beads of blood in the garden.

Jesus knew.

He knew He was born to die.

He heard death calling and taunting him. He felt in full force its icy breath and dark whispers. No one has beaten me yet, Son of Man.

He rode into Jerusalem that day. Lowly, seated on a donkey. And while they shouted Hosanna and threw their coats onto the ground, His heart full of love for them, knowledge was His constant companion.

The palm branches waving their song: Son of Man, you were born to die.

And on He rode to His calling, His appointment, His purpose.

The day He was born, death waited eagerly to take Him. The day He arrived in Jerusalem death was moments away from claiming the ultimate victory.

Oh, but Death. Did you not know?

Victory belongs to God.

Listen closely before you claim your prize: Now this I know - The LORD gives victory to His anointed. He answers him from His heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of His right hand. 

O Death, where is your victory? Where is your sting?

You see, the One you thought to conquer will conquer you. He will swallow you up along with the portal of the grave.

Our King, the lowly one riding on the donkey? The Son of Man?

He has defeated you.

Jesus was born to die, yes.

But Jesus was also born to conquer.

Jesus was born to be victorious.

On the day He rode into Jerusalem His death march began - but so did His victory parade.

Praise be to my God. Praise be to Him who lowered Himself to human form and all the humiliation and pain and sorrow that accompanied it. Praise be to Him who suffered the beatings, ridicule, and torture for the joy that was set before Him.

He was born to die.

I was born to die for you, beloved.

He was born to conquer.

I was born to conquer for you, beloved.

Hosanna, Lord Jesus! I will lay down my palm branches, I will lay down my garments, I will lay down my heart.

You were born to die. You were born to buy eternal life for me. 

The Lies We Buy

I watched this video awhile back on YouTube. You may have seen it, too. These women described themselves to a sketch artist. Then a stranger whom these women had just met described them to the same sketch artist. The difference in how the women saw themselves versus how the new acquaintance saw them was staggering. The women were quite critical of their own faces, exaggerating their flaws and riddled in self doubt. However, the faces the strangers described were pretty, cheerful, and confident.

Fiction versus fact. Ideas versus reality. A lie versus the truth.

I was reading this week in Ephesians about putting on the armor of God. God's Word and fashion tips? Hey, you know I'm there. Let's read:

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place... 

Ephesians 6:14

In ancient times, just as today, this belt was worn close to the body. It was a belt that held all other clothing in place. Without the belt tying everything together, all other clothing was meaningless and would not be secure on the body.

And isn't that just like truth? Without truth nothing else matters.

Friend, that's what I want us to see today. There are so many lies in this world written by the Father of Lies himself. Satan would love to have you believe the deceit he whispers in your ear.

You aren't pretty.
You aren't smart.
You are unworthy.
How dare you approach the throne of God?
You should be awash in guilt.
You aren't a good mother.
You are a terrible friend.
You aren't as good as her.

Lie.
Lie.
Lie.
These lies we buy.
And with every lie we buy, small pieces of truth are stolen.

So instead of listening to the whispers of lies, what if today we went to the truth and started believing that? What if we came to the throne of God and asked Him to reveal truth to us?

Father, what do I look like through Your eyes?

Isaiah 61:10 answers this question for us. Lean in with me and hear how God sees you:

I delight greatly in the Lord;

    my soul rejoices in my God.

For he has clothed me with garments of salvation

    and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,

as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,

    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

When God sees you, beloved, He sees you wearing righteousness and salvation. These precious garments bought by the blood of Jesus. And the blood of Jesus is powerful enough to cover anything, great enough to cover IT ALL.

When God sees you He sees nothing but holiness and perfection because that was won for you by your Savior. We are Daughters of God (Galatians 3:26).

But Satan wants you to doubt your lineage. He needs you to see yourself as unworthy to approach God's throne simply because he doesn't want you to approach God's throne.

He wants to steal your real identity. He wants to kill your belief that you are an Image Bearer of the Holy One. He wants to destroy the power of Jesus Christ in you.

He doesn't want you to know the truth.

Because the truth, just like that belt, holds us together. In particular, just like Ephesians tells us, it secures the breastplate of righteousness over our hearts. Satan wants us to forget our righteousness, wants us to forget that we are good and holy. But that belt, oh that belt of truth, wraps itself around our righteousness. Holding our salvation in place. The truth is there, secure, asking us to remember who we are! No, it's daring us to forget! Truth. Oh darling, the truth is what God sees.

The truth is that you are enough. Called. Anointed. Chosen.

Truth doesn't whisper because there is no shame in truth. Truth shouts! Can you hear it? It's shouting your name and the Name of Jesus in a beautiful song of salvation and abundance:

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

John 14:6

Have you come to the Father through Jesus? If you haven't then ask Jesus in sincere faith to save you from the lies of Satan. Turn from your sin and walk into the willing and merciful arms of Jesus.

And friend, if you have come to the Father through Jesus, act like it. Stop walking in the lies of guilt and shame and unworthiness. Stop buying into the lie and instead dance in the truth.

And tell Satan to hit the road because it is your righteous right in Jesus to live in freedom.

Because that's another thing about truth. It sets you free. So go today and live in freedom. Live in truth.

Jesus said, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." 

John 8:32 (emphasis mine)

God Still Loves Me, Even if I Eat Nachos. {A True Story.}

I put a lot of pressure on myself to be perfect.

And the last time I checked I was a human being and incapable of perfection.

So why do I still expect so much from myself? I'm going to fail, going to falter. Then, when perfection isn't obtained, the guilt quickly takes up the space I'd reserved for all of my perfect deeds.

In recent weeks I've decided to dedicate some things to God. This includes a certain time of prayer and fasting.

But yesterday.

It just didn't happen.

I was tired. I was, yes I'll say it, hormonal. I wasn't feeling prayer or fasting. I was weak in mind and weak in body.

And there was no follow-through of the spiritual goals I'd set for the day. I ate graham crackers, cookies, several pieces of chocolate.

Nachos.

I ate nachos.

My day of perfectly diligent spirituality did not go as planned.

And, you know what? That's okay.

My six year old son came into my classroom at the end of the school day. We sat at my reading table and pulled out his homework. As he unscrambled spelling words and completed a place value worksheet my momma-eyes soaked him in. His sweet face that looks so much like his daddy, but with my blue eyes. His awesome curly blonde hair that automatically makes him the coolest person in any room. I was awash in love. I pulled him close and kissed him. Hugged him. Told him how special he was.

That's how I look at you, beloved.

And my imperfect heart with imperfect intentions was struck.

I am loved just as I am. On my good days, on my bad days, on my faithful days, on  my failure days.

I am loved.

You are loved.

There is nothing in this world or out of this world that can separate us from God's love. Read Romans 8:31-39 with me:

So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.

We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

We have been embraced by perfect love and thereby set free from any pressure we may put on ourselves. Because those things that can't separate us from God? That includes us. Sometimes we're our own worst enemy, thinking we're falling short and feeling guilty for it.

Friends, we do fall short. We all fall short every day. Romans 3:23 tells us all have sinned and fall short of God's glory. Perfection isn't ours. Perfection belongs to our precious Jesus who loves us with such abandon that He abandoned everything to claim us. Romans 3 goes on to say that even though we fall short we are still justified freely by the grace of Christ Jesus.

So strive for goodness, yes. Do the tasks that God has commanded, yes. Carry your cross, yes. But on those days where you didn't quite hit the mark and you ate the nachos, know that you are loved still.

Perfectly imperfect you. Perfectly loved by perfect grace.