This month, I celebrate 4 years (YEARS!?!) since my call to ministry.
And as I travel down Nostalgia Lane, I can’t help but think how far I have come– yet how God has walked with me through it all.
So here is a blast from the past– literally my fifth-ever blog post (I have more than 700 now!) but one whose truth’s still ring true…
Enjoy!
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When it comes to my iTunes playlist, my iPod, my Pandora account or car radio preset stations, you should know that there is no pattern, rhyme or reason to any of them. People have told me (on more than one occasion) that I have quite an eclectic variety of songs in my collection. I can’t really blame them for the loud exclamations of shock when my computer shuffles from Alison Krause to Asian techno to Broadway show-tunes to christian praise, back to classic country and yes, even over to a very-small-G-rated-collection of heavy metal favorites.
But there is another type of heavy metal that I enjoy; the “Heavy Metal” of BROKEN chains of sin that bound us. Have you ever specifically looked at all the lyrics of Amazing Grace and contemplated their meaning? The re-make of Amazing Grace “My Chains are Gone” by Chris Tomlin takes it even farther by showing that we have been set free… God’s tremendous sacrifice in the life of his Son has dropped the “heavy metal” burden we bear, all thanks to His grace.
My chains are gone
I’ve been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace
Galatians 5:1 says “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” We are free in Christ because of His never-ending, boundless grace. Think SPECIFICALLY how you can extend grace to other in YOUR life. Maybe write it down. Pray about it. Marinate a bit. See what happens.
Potential recipients of my grace:
- Family (Parents, Siblings, Extended Family)
- Spouse/Significant Other
- Kids (For me, this is my Puppy Sweet Justus)
- Friends (As friends of Christ, we can certainly share His grace with our earthly friends!)
- Coworkers
- “Enemies”
- Strangers (Have you ever prayed for a complete stranger? Or given some leeway (aka grace) to the grumpy cashier? Consider it.)
- Other (For me, this includes the US Army… Who or what can you be grace-full to?)
This morning on the radio I heard a song called “20 Dollar Dog” by Allen Levi… The basic premise is that he “extends” grace to this stray, whining dog and invites him into his home. Part of the lyrics say “Man if this ain’t love… you are just a twenty dollar dog on a thousand dollar rug.” The message is that we, as humans, are the dog and God is the master. Even though we don’t deserve it, He loves us enough to let us lounge on the “thousand dollar rug” through salvation by his grace.
Are you telling others about God’s “thousand dollar rug?” (Don’t worry, you don’t have to sing it.) Whether you are a fan of pop, rock, hip hop, country, bluegrass, or any other genre, consider this: we can all be fans of “Non-Heavy Metal” in the form of Broken Chains. Our chains are gone. We’ve been set free… Free to rest on his thousand dollar rug.
Free in Christ,
Linking up today with Kelly, Laura at Playdates with God, Joan’s Beauty in His Grip, Jen over at Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood, and Hazel via Tell Me a Story. Be sure to join our #EverydayJesus link-up community right here at 7 Days Time every Thursday!
