I love those mornings when I wake up with a song in my head and heart! It seems to set the tone for the day for me when I wake up worshipping God mindful of how wonderful He is. I particularly love it when it happens on a Sunday morning. Why? Because my personality type + being a pastor + an insane week where I feel my sermon is not up to par, the truth of God’s person and power have overridden my tendency to wake up obsessed with doing or worry. This morning I woke up to the heart and mind in harmony singing, “God, You’re So Good” (Hillsong). Before my eyes even opened I heard the opening line…
Amazing love – That welcomes me – The kindness of mercy
That bought with blood, wholeheartedly – My soul undeserving
God, You’re so good, Oh God, You’re so good
God, You’re so good, You’re so good to me
Behold the cross – Age to age – And hour by hour
The dead are raised, the sinner saved – The work of Your power
Sometimes we can feel like we are frauds when we sing lyrics that claim truths we are simply not feeling or experiencing. How can I claim I am healed when I am still sick? Or holy when I am struggling with sin? Or whole when I know I am a Christian, a new creation, but still feel somewhat shattered? The Christian faith is filled with experiences of truths of our temporary physically broken world meeting our spiritually empowering eternal world. When the bridge of this song came up I was reminded again how a life of faith is filled with realities now and not yet. We are transformed and being transformed. We are saved and will be saved. We are sanctified and are being sanctified. Holy and being made holy. How can this be? It is a glorious part of Christianity! What God demands God provides and how God sees us is in harmony with how God is making us.
I am blessed, I am called, I am healed, I am whole
I am saved in Jesus’ name
Highly favored, anointed, Filled with Your power
For the glory of Jesus’ name
I AM blessed, called, healed, whole, saved in Jesus name! I AM highly favoured, anointed and filled with God’s power for the glory of Jesus name. That is my reality now and in the future. How can we NOT sing of God’s goodness and love?! All of our unworthiness, and self-obsession with our unworthiness, ceases to be blockers of grace. All of our brokenness does not make us unattractive to God. The love of Jesus and the glory of Jesus become the impetus for and the conclusion of us being highly favoured and empowered. And in those moments where we are tempted to let suffering overshadow and redirect our attention destroying our joy and hope….
And should this life – Bring suffering – Lord, I will remember
What Calvary has bought for me – Both now and forever
God, You’re so good, Oh God, You’re so good
God, You’re so good, You’re so good to me
What has Calvary bought for me? Through Jesus’s sacrificial loving suffering, he has bought us freedom and favour for all eternity. We get to bask in the love and goodness of God forever. Such a great reminder of perspective! Do we let our current circumstances of trouble and suffering form the lens/filter with which we see God? OR, do we let the goodness and love of God be the lens with which we observe our temporary circumstances on earth? The first can only end in questions, disappointment and possibly anger. The second, brings peace that passes all understanding — hope for the future — a sense of not being alone — an knowledge of being loved.
May your Sunday be filled with good things from our good God. You are blessed and called. You are highly favoured, anointed, and filled with God’s power. But best of all…you are loved with God’s amazing love that welcomes you. ?