All is for your Glory

So yesterday I was listening to a song performed by Cory Asbury at the OneThing Conference in Kansas City called “All is for your glory” and was singing it out at the top of my lungs and a number of things hit me hard. It’s funny how times we sing “prayers” out to God and don’t really expect him to answer them. The first thing God spoke to me is that I want to worship when its convenient or easy or fits into my weekly schedule. I am completely guilty of this- I play guitar, piano, and I love to sing and worship but frequently miss out on the most intimate and meaningful worship times I can have during the daily grind, I experienced this late last night. Our worship can and should look like heaven on earth. It can reach deep into our hearts in any place and at any time. A constant song and cry of “God you are worthy of everything my life has to offer, every and any way I can serve you I want to.” To worship intentionally in the frustrations of life and in community through all the feelings and emotions and situations we experience in our short time on this planet. So God used the bridge of this song to remind again me that my life in every circumstance should be leveraged for the truth that everything we have and are is for His glory. That is really what I want, I’m just not always great at doing it. So onto the story.

Yesterday afternoon I got a call about a miscommunication with our mulch ordering for our annual mulch fundraiser for our Church Summer Camp. Someone needed 70 bags of mulch delivered to a house that night or early the next morning and couldn’t really do it on their own well. I will tell you that with the amount of mulch that I have delivered and helped spread this summer I am ready to retire from mulch altogether. haha (wish I could actually make that happen!! ) Not only does the smell stick with you for a few days it seems, but when unexpected, it is a challenging thing to ever want to do. That may seem insignificant to you, but after a long day- it was not how I was hoping to wind things down. Ultimately though I knew I needed to help. We finished our band practice and made it out there around 10:30pm and as I was loading mulch into the back of our church trailer I began to realize why I was singing the words to this song earlier. God wanted to re-affirm in me that my life is meant to give glory to Him and by filling a trailer with mulch late at night I was doing just that. He was saying this is worship CJ! At that moment worship erupted in me, I realized more of why I was made. I wasn’t made to give my life in the glamorous moments only. Having fun at youth group, or camp, or leading worship on stage. I was made for these kind of moments. No one else around, to load stinky mulch when I don’t want to and serve Jesus in the process (and some other people of course.) I kept singing the words of the bridge which say “Jesus put me anywhere, just put your glory in me. I’ll serve anywhere, just let me see your beauty.” I just kept singing that over and over again as God again began to minister to me and break down the walls of my own expectations. It was like Jesus was saying to me. CJ this is when your faith is authentic, when I deepen you, when I soften your heart, when I breathe new life into you, when you become different from the world, it’s when you are able to be defined for my glory- not your own. Yeah God, keep speaking- I always need it! When those feelings arise of “I don’t want to do this at all” my heart can learn to say “Put me anywhere Jesus- and I will learn how to serve you- even if it takes all my life to get there.” Wait… hold on a second did you say anywhere Jesus? That’s a little bit of a scary prayer to pray- I hope I’m ready for it- not just saying it but living it out!!

As I was getting loaded I got some help from a couple good friends who came around the church and offered a hand. I just kept thinking do I understand what giving my life actually means? Do I have expectations on what serving looks like that keep me from only doing the things that are easy or fun. Is my heart trained so that no matter what comes my way, in a second, I will be the first one to step up and serve with Joy and worship in my heart? I want to be that kind of person who’s life is a reflection of the words to this song and that my identity would be formed in it. Jesus help me get there- I love you!

;

There’s just one chief end to man’s purpose
And one main reason for existence
All man’s vain and high ambitions
Will one day be brought low

For You alone will be exalted in that day
Worthless goals will be exposed as idols that we’ve made
For You alone will be exalted in that day
You’ll be seen as rightful King
And from our hearts we’ll sing

All is for Your glory
All is for Your name
All is for Your glory
That in all things You may have the first place
That in all things You may have preeminence

To treasure You above all others
To love You like we love no other
Your greatness soon will be uncovered
And all the earth will then know

Put me anywhere
Just put Your glory in me
I’ll serve anywhere
Just let me see Your beauty

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuuQO-OqGsc&feature=related</blockquote