I love to listen to music or audio books while I sew. I'm such an auditory person, so sounds help me focus. Without something in the background to focus on, my mind wanders and somehow I lose eye-hand coordination--a bad thing while operating a sewing machine!
This week, I made a Pandora station with Steven Curtis Chapman, Matthew West, Brandon Heath, and Rich Mullins. Sooooo good!!! It's wonderful to worship God while being productive--two of my favorite things!
Anyway, Rich Mullins' songs have really been speaking to me about the fragility of life and the unrealistic value we Christians place on living here. I mean, when someone dies, we say it is a great shame.
Instead, we should repeat the words of Paul, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). Dying is a great thing for us! Dying means we spend eternity with Jesus!
Why am I so concerned with things of this life? Disagreements with my husband are blown way out of proportion. Sometimes I get sad thinking that it may be a few years before we can afford a house. But are those things that I should be upset about? Absolutely not. Paul also said, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).
I don't need to fear dying. I don't need to pray that God will let me live long enough to raise children. I just need to worship Christ.
Here are the lyrics to Rich Mullins' song "Be With You". Parts that speak to me are bold or italic. Enjoy! You can listen to it while you read the lyrics (video at the bottom).
"Everybody each and all
We're gonna die eventually
It's no more or less our faults
Than it is our destiny
So now Lord I come to you
Asking only for Your grace
You know what I've put myself through
All those empty dreams I chased
And when my body lies in the ruins
Of the lies that nearly ruined me
Will You pick up the pieces
That were pure and true
And breathe Your life into them
And set them free?
And when You start this world over
Again from scratch
Will You make me anew
Out of the stuff that lasts
Stuff that's purer than gold is
And clearer than glass could ever be
Can I be with You?
Can I be with You?
And everybody all and each
From the day that we are born
We have to learn to walk beneath
Those mercies by which we're drawn
And now we wrestle in the dark
With these angels that we can't see
We will move on although with scars
Oh Lord move inside of me
And when my body lies in the ruins
Of the lies that nearly runied me
Will You pick up the pieces
That were pure and true
And breathe Your life into them
And set them free?
And when You blast this cosmos
To kingdom come
When those jagged-edged mountains
I love are gone
When the sky is crossed with the tears
Of a thousand falling suns
As they crash into the sea
Can I be with you?
Can I be with you?"
This is the cry of my heart, Lord, Can I Be With You?
I try to ask myself whenever something comes up that at first may cause me to get angry or upset if it will matter in eternity. I imagine that 98% of the time it won't. Rich Mullen's music has always touched me. I couldn't listen to it for a while after he died but gradually I could listen again and hear the words in a deeper way. Thanks for sharing this, Faith.
ReplyDeleteI love Pandora! I've discovered some great music on there!
ReplyDeleteFaith, when all is said and done nothing else matters than our relationship with Christ!
ReplyDelete