Day 27 - The Cause of Christ (Kari Jobe)
You know as a kid when you don’t want to hear what your parents are saying, or you don’t like a noise, so you put your fingers in your ears, or you cover up your ears...well, there are some songs that challenge my faith, my conviction, my authenticity, the way I live and think and do life. This is one of them. I’ve thought, I’ll just cover up my ears and go ‘la la la la’ and pretend I can’t hear it right, but why?
Every line, every phrase, every declaration, costs. It’s less of me, more of Christ. I ask myself “Really Charmaine, are you living like that? Is that what you believe? Do you love Jesus like that?”...
I’m sure many of us were asked at school, what we wanted to be remembered for, what will be written on our tombstone? If asked I guess being remembered for my hospitality, love for cooking great food, creativity, love for people, remembering birthdays and anniversaries would be wonderful; but more than that, way more than that, I want these words of this song to be who I am – the first and last verses particularly.
The only thing I want in life
Is to be known for loving Christ
To build His church, to love His bride
And make His name known far and wide
It is not fame that I desire
Nor stature in my brother’s eye
I pray it’s said about my life
That I lived more to build Your name than mine
I do, I so want to be known for loving Christ, for building His church and for loving her too. It’s about making Jesus known wherever God has placed me. But sometimes that’s just not forefront, or my focus or my desire. Matthew 6:33 says “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.”
I believe that’s the key and I come to this verse time and time again. I’ve learned to put my name in scriptures to personalise them, they hit home better. So - “Charmaine - seek first the Kingdom of God above all else...”! See what that does? It makes me sit up, check my motives and my heart. Live for Him and all else will fall into place.
Building the church and loving His bride (read yesterday’s devotional - Day 26 and you’ll hear some of my heart on that.) I do love the church in all her expressions – how God chooses to use beautiful communities of people, some small, some mega in size, but all pursuing Christ; loving their neighbour, reaching out to the poor and vulnerable and being the hope in their context. I’m not saying the Church is perfect, but I see her purpose and a privilege to be part of one.
This song isn’t an easy one to sing! But it’s my prayer and desire that we will be people who certainly want to live for the cause of Christ. Like the chorus declares, it’s about surrendering all for Him. I also pray that we might sing it as a promise; that it’s Him, it’s Christ above all else. That we would count the cost, give Him the glory, speak truth of His Word and speak well of His church.
Think it over / Meditate on:
Listen to this song here: https://youtu.be/byHwKMa6NJY - can you sing it? Do you want to live for Christ afresh today? In a quiet moment today, recommit your life to Jesus, and confess again your devotion to Him and His cause
Read Matthew 6:33 and mediate on it, what does seeking the Kingdom of God above all else, look like to you? How will you put that into action in your life today?
Affirmation and encouragement is important – is there someone who you look up to, admire for their faith in Jesus, that you can pray for today and/or text and thank them
Written by Senior Pastor Charmaine