This song resonates with me in so many ways.  I love the image of being nestled in the comfort of God’s mighty hands.   The truth this song portrays is that God’s hands are holding me even when my struggles keep me from seeing Him.  Natalie sings “It’s like the sun is shining when the rain is pouring down… it’s like the breath of Jesus is right here in this room.”  Beautiful song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPu9Hc-3L3o

“I have to admit I’m often a member of the club whose motto is ‘When all else fails, pray.’  Why pray when I can worry?  Why pray when I can work myself to death trying to get what  I need without help?  Why pray when I can go without?”

Having spent my childhood in North Florida, I developed the attitude that shoes were optional and dirty feet were a way of life. During summer breaks from school, I looked for tadpoles- barefoot, played kickball- barefoot and even built forts in the woods- barefoot. By the end of the day it was hard to tell where my foot stopped and the dirty ground began. Frequently, my mother would tell me to hose off my feet in the yard before coming inside the house.

Even though Jesus didn’t have the benefit of a good garden hose, He was a foot washer. John 13 tells us the night before He died, Jesus washed the disciple’s feet and everyone seemed to like it except Peter. Peter couldn’t handle Jesus, the long awaited Messiah, humbling Himself by washing Peter’s feet.

Put yourself in Peter’s place. Imagine the King of Kings kneeling before you and washing your feet. First, He would take off your shoes and your well worn socks. As Jesus holds your foot in His hands, He gently begins to wash. Would you lean over and point to a place between your toes and say “Excuse me Jesus, you missed a spot.”? Or would you grab His towel and proclaim, like Peter “You shall never wash my feet!” ? (John 13:8),

If I had been there, I’m afraid I would have reacted like Peter. I’d feel unworthy to have Jesus kneeling before me, much less washing my nasty feet. Can you hear yourself saying, “No, really Jesus, my feet are just fine. Thanks for offering but I’d be happy to wash your feet?” Too many Christians devoutly serve Christ yet resist Jesus serving them. But, Jesus’ response to Peter is His response to us, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” Letting Jesus wash your feet sure looks like a good idea.

The thing is, Jesus is not going to show up in your living room with a towel and a pail of water. But he might inspire others to do it for Him. When others ask you if you need help, do you say “No, I’m fine?” Saying “I’m Fine” is one of those responses that probably slips out of your mouth with out even thinking. But that person you just turned away may have been sent by Jesus to care for you.

Jesus knows when the burdens and hardships of living in this world are wearing you down. He knows the road you’re walking and how hard it is on your poor tired feet. Letting Jesus use others to care for you is another way for you to draw closer to Him.

So pay attention the next time you are tempted to tell someone you are “fine”. Not all the foot washers Jesus sends will show up with a towel and a pail of water. All a good foot washer really needs is a willing heart and your worn out pair of feet.

Lisa Samons is a master at weaving a rich story of lives once overwhelmed by the world but ultimately seeking their path to unexpected redeemtion.  Embrace Me looks at the lives of  a ”lizard woman,” a self-mutilating preacher, a tattoed monk, and a sleazy lobbyist .  It’s a book that keeps you thinking and hopefully soul searching not only about the needs of our churches but the deepest needs of our souls.

http://lisasamson.typepad.com/

Francesca Battistelli must know me becasue this song is so ME!  First time I heard this song I was driving down the road in my Chevy malibu with multiple dents wearing my old jeans with my left knee poking out.  These are her lyrics “I got a couple dents in my fender, got a couple rips in my jeans…”  Great song about accepting who we are and who other folks are too all by standing on His shoulders.  She has a great deep voice and the whole track really lifts my heart.  Anybody else out there with dents and rips?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKSQjSdU8VA

“The honest truth is that I have seen God do more in people’s lives during ten minutes of real prayer than in ten of my sermons.”    Jim Cymbala Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire

Parenting is a funny thing…until you hit a day when it’s not funny at all.  Often that’s a day when your child really messes up.  Messing up can mean problems at school, fights with a sibling or even just blatant disrespect.  On these gloomy days, typical parental thoughts sound like “How could they do such a thing?” or “They should know better.” Or even “Why do they keep doing the same thing over and over again?”  Regardless of the situation, I believe the more serious the mess, the more likely parents think, “What did I do wrong?”

 As parents, we are fallible and make mistakes, and at times this “What did I do wrong?” question prevents us from understanding a great truth about parenting: kids are suppose to mess up and we, as parents, are suppose to catch them.   Too often parents get caught up in the idea that being a good parent is about having kids that don’t have problems.  So when they do, we think we’ve failed.  I know.   I’ve felt the same way.  But when we put the guilt aside we can see that good parents are parents that catch their kids doing wrong, correct them and then forgive them. 

 Of course, messing up is not reserved only for children.  As adults we are also pretty good at messing up.  The good news is that just as you know that your children will one day mess up, God knows you will mess up too.  Some Christians seem to forget this.  They get stuck in a HUGE misconception that a good Christian never does anything wrong.  The truth is that the Christian walk is not one where we start on God’s path and never step off.  The true Christian walk is turning back towards God each time we go astray.  When you have wandered off God’s path, He hungers for you to turn back towards Him and receive His forgiveness.  He doesn’t ask why you keep doing the same thing or what you were thinking.  He knows. And God’s not worried about what you did wrong.  He’s just concerned about making you right.  That’s why He sent Jesus. 

 John 3:17 says that God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world but to save it.  Too many Christians are living in anticipation of God’s condemnation when ever they go off His path.  Do you carry the burden of thinking that if you disappointed God, He will turn away from you?  That’s just not true.  We are not meant to live as children waiting for God’s punishment!  

As a believer, you are God’s cherished child to whom He gave His very life.  God knows there will be times in your life that you will need to be disciplined but this will not threaten your salvation.  Salvation is a gift.  A gift that can’t be earned through good behavior nor can it be unearned through bad.  That’s how much God loves you.

Messing up is part of life but thankfully so is the outrageous mercy of our heavenly father.    See God as the loving and forgiving parent you’ve always wanted because, my friend, He is all that and so much more.

Francine River takes a insightful look at the life of Tamar, an old testament woman that showed her faith in God’s faithfulness in a bizarre and amazing way.  Subject matter may be too harsh for young girls.  It’s a short 150 pages.  Read it.  You’ll be glad you did. 

http://www.francinerivers.com/

John Ortberg quote in The Life You’ve Always Wanted:  “If we are not marked by greater and greater amounts of love and joy, we will inevitably look for substitute ways of distinguishing ourselves from those who are not Chrisitans… If we can not be transformed we will settle for being informed or conformed.”  http://www.johnortberg.com/

Mathew West  sings You are Everything- a high energy, Spirit pumping song and I love it.  This Christian song revives me when the fatigue is starting to make my head hang.  I blare it in my car at top volume and sing like a wild woman until I feel the Spirit pump inside me.  Sometimes it takes a few rewinds!   Listen and enjoy!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X43XXpItGk0