So many thoughts...

Well, I am not even really sure where to start - or what to write about. Today will probably be a mess of random thoughts so I appologize in advance. Last night was my 'deeper walk' meeting with my Pastor. We meet about once a month and he has been pretty much outlining different aspects of ministry. About good heart attitudes and expectations. One example he used was when he was discipling another man in a different church. "Once they got into they got into the meat" of the study this man apparently went out and put "clergy" stickers/magnets on his car, etc. Pastor Ed was warning us to not try and run out in front of what God is doing. I have always belived that our worship of God doesn't preclude the engagement of our emotions. We should be able to worship our Savior with heart felt tears, shouts of joy. But these should also be tempered with caution. Just as works do not produce salvation, but are a result of our salvation - so should our worship be. Emotion does not produce worship of God, but they are a result of our worship. We should never consider our emotions the basis of worship. A former worship leader of mine (see my link to Worship Matters) posted a blog about the song "Draw Me Close" and it made me think. There have been times that I have heard this song and - nothing. Othertimes I have been moved to tears of joy. I have always heard the words and thought of Christ, but Mr. Kauflin really made me think about this whole subject. Another friend posted what I would like to refer to as a parable about someone taking our place. Her blog was a different slant on another story I had heard that demonstrates Christ's substitution on our behalf. Very powerful IMO. It really does come down to pride in so many situations. We just don't want to believe that we cannot somehow amend our transgressions - make it "all better". I think this is why the Mel Gibson's movie can be so powerful. When we see what Christ went through on our behalf - taking our place - it brings it home. And yet it is not just the visible. What Christ endured as revealed in His statement, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46, esv) is the ultimate cost. Praise God that it does not end with what Christ paid, but that He then draws us unto Him for all eternity as revealed in His resurection and ascention. And then another on-line friend has a very deep and thought provoking Blog from this weekend. Grace's 'Walk in His Garden" has been a thought provoking blog for me to read. Well, I am really just off on so many tangents today - not much else to say but I pray that you all have a great day. Otherwise my ramblings and nonesense will take up way too much space. :) Verse for Today: Matthew 6:25-34, esv “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.