Year: 2018

Together In the Tent

Laying here in a tent just outside the gates of Carowinds at “Camp Wilderness” with my daughter as the temperature begins to drop and as she sleeps peacefully wrapped up in her fleece pjs, sleeping bag, and blanket — and I’m amazed at how returning to a simpler way of life has proven to be so enjoyable for the two of us.

We had a blast seeing up the tent together and getting everything squared away. It wasn’t a chore, but wad something fun that we were able to do together, and she was great at it! And this wad much different than the two times wee have captured in the back yard where mommy could bring us anything we wanted. But we still had electricity and running water this time, so she wants to go camping up in the mountains next. Wow! I’m loving this!

And even so, we looked at the little pop up campers near us and realized the set up and tear down time that they save versus a “real tent” like ours — and we were already making grand plans for “some day”. Lol.

I’m just thankful for the bonds that are being strengthened, the memories being built, the foundations being laid in her childhood so that maybe I can be there with her through more than just cold mornings in a tent during her childhood — but maybe also trying times through adolescence and beyond.

And I pray that she sees in my life, not just my words — this dwelling place that we have with the Lord that od’s greater than any house or home built by the hands of men. And I pray that you do as well. And I pray that I never forget. Amen.

2 Corinthians 5:1-5 ESV

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

Give Me Jesus

I love this song. Some songs have a depth of doctrine and teaching in them that will satisfy the most pharisaic of Pharisees, while others express the simple awe of the redeemed whore washing Jesus’s feet with her hair. This song is of the latter kind.

You’ll find in this song that few words are spoken, and that it isn’t a “teaching song” by most men’s standards — but that it is an “awe and wonder” song — which should in fact, teach us about those “weightier matters of the law” by way of the Holy Spirit. One who is not hardened and leavened — one who is fully relying on Christ alone and not resting in any sense of accomplishment, status, or self- righteousness should find that the heart cries out and the spirit speaks in wordless groanings when this praise is lifted in Spirit and in Truth.

In the morning

So let’s take a closer look at its content:

“In the morning, when I rise
Give me Jesus”

Oh, how beautiful and wonderful the mornings are when we rise with our Jesus close by our side. And how strong our longing can be when we feel that we have risen somehow “far and away” from our precious Lord. But either way, don’t we long for Him even closer, even as the deer panteth for water, don’t we thirst for that precious fount of living water?

Do you long for the Lord with your waking breath? It will be so with your daily life as well, especially in those awakening moments of fiery trial that appear unexpectedly. And so it will be for you on the day of the Lord. Are you ready?

Mark 1:35 ESV

And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

Psalm 119:147 ESV

I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words.

Psalm 88:13 ESV

But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you

Psalm 143:8 ESV

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

So, we have addressed the first fruits of our day — our morning — and now we will look onward to our true worship — to the song that we will sing about what truly is first in our life today.

Just Jesus

The lyrics continue:

“You can have all this world
Just give me Jesus”

Yes, the busy distractions of this world offer us many idols to choose from — and will we say “Give me the world and a side order of Jesus!” Or will we say, “Just give me Jesus!” And if we say it, do we mean it? What if health, prosperity, reputation, loved ones, freedom — what if these were taken from us, would we still cry out “JUST give me Jesus!”

The existence of that word JUST cannot be ignored, or one of us — even you, even me — might miss the whole point of this type of praise altogether.

James 4:4
You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

Alone

The lyrics continue:

“Oh, when I am alone
Give me Jesus”

And when we have turned away from the world, when our proclaiming the Gospel so boldly, loudly, and seemingly foolishly has left us with “nary a one left behind” and it seems we are alone in our solitude and our silence — isn’t it there in that humbled, surrendered silence that He is truly found?

Psalms 46:10‭ NLT

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”

Lord, teach us that a multitude of words and teaching and movement and activity doesn’t always leave us much time for the awe and wonder and faith that pleases you.

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 12:28‭-‬29 ESV

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:38‭-‬42 ESV

Additional Reading
https://www.esv.org/Matthew+26:6%E2%80%9313;Mark+14:3%E2%80%939;Luke+7:36%E2%80%9350;John+12:1%E2%80%938/#