WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING (Personal Reflection)

Oh little town of Bethlehem

Looks like another silent night

Above your deep and dreamless sleep

A giant star lights up the sky

And while you're lying in the dark

There shines an everlasting light

For the King has left his throne

And is sleeping in a manger tonight

Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping

For God became a man

And stepped into your world today

Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history

As a city with no room for its King

While you were sleeping

While you were sleeping

Oh little town of Jerusalem

Looks like another silent night

The Father gave his only Son

The Way, The Truth, the Life had come

But there was no room for Him in the world he came to save

Jerusalem, what you have missed while you were sleeping

The Savior of the world is dying on your cross today

Jerusalem, you will go down in history

As a city with no room for its King

While you were sleeping

While you were sleeping

United States of America

Looks like another silent night

As we're sung to sleep by philosophies

That save the trees and kill the children

And while we're lying in the dark

There's a shout heard 'cross the eastern sky

For the Bridegroom has returned

And has carried His bride away in the night

America, what will we miss while we are sleeping

Will Jesus come again

And leave us slumbering where we lay

America will we go down in history

As a nation with no room for its King

Will we be sleeping

Will we be sleeping


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Undoubtedly, 'O Little Town of Bethlehem' is one of the most recognizable Christmas carols ever written, but how many of us are familiar with its contemporary counterpart, 'While You Were Sleeping' by Casting Crowns? Considering I am almost always a traditionalist when it comes to Christmas carols, this brilliant, contemporary adaptation of the original grips my heart every time I hear it and is an integral part of my holiday season every year. Because whether Bethlehem, Jerusalem, or the United States of America, billions of people throughout the ages have simply missed the true meaning of Christmas. In many ways, 'While You Were Sleeping' is a reality check which reminds us that while we as Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus and the subsequent impact His life, death and resurrection have on our eternal destination, the cold, hard fact remains that souls will be lost as well. People will die not ever hearing the Gospel message, or hear it and pridefully reject Jesus altogether and the notion they need to be "saved" from anything at all. Therefore, we need to consider our response when we listen to 'O Little Town of Bethlehem' or 'While We Were Sleeping,' because its eternal implications are far too important to gloss over.  

Today, we are bombarded by political correctness which replaces "Merry Christmas" with "Happy Holidays" in order to NOT be offensive to those who do not share our personal faith. Yet how can a baby born in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago offend anyone unless He was MORE than just a baby? Scripture states, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). The sad truth is that when someone rejects Jesus as Christ, he/she is communicating a rejection of accountability, help, divinity, authority and peace, for those are the identifiable traits of His character as prophesied by Isaiah. Consider what this passage forces us to wrestle with and reconcile in our hearts:

• Christ's humanity - "For to us a child is born"
• Christ's deity - "To us a son is given" 
• Christ's lordship - "And the government shall be upon his shoulder" 
• Christ's wisdom and discernment - "And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor"
• Christ's supreme authority - "Mighty God"
• Christ's loving influence - "Everlasting Father"
• Christ's grace, mercy and forgiveness - "Prince of Peace"

In other words, Scripture tells us this child born in Bethlehem was MORE than just a baby, which is why Christmas in many ways has become such a divisive holiday for those who reject Christ's deity altogether. The truth is that God has indeed revealed Himself to mankind through His Son and creation itself so mankind is without excuse. "For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse" (Romans 1:20). However, due to free will mankind has the freedom to accept or reject what the Bible says is true, which ultimately comes with eternal consequences. For those who reject its validity, the Bible is nothing more than nonsense or a scare tactic to manipulate people's emotions for financial gain and/or power/control. However, for those of us who believe Scripture is the inerrant Word of God, reconciling our position on who Jesus is and what He has done for us is the most important question we will ever answer in our lifetime. How then does all this apply to our feature song, 'While You Were Sleeping?' Thankfully, Casting Crowns lead singer, Mark Hall, provides the backdrop to the song in his book, "Lifestories: Finding God's 'Voice of Truth' Through Everyday Life."

"’While You Were Sleeping’ took me nine years to finish. The year was 1996. I was trying to come up with something new to sing to the Lord for Christmas. I wanted to compose a new arrangement to the famous hymn "O Little Town of Bethlehem." I set out to use the hymn’s original lyrics but to spin them into my own version with different chords. I didn’t even make it to the second verse. I was playing with some chords and realized halfway through the first verse that I was 27 years old and had been singing the song since I was a kid without grasping its meaning. Halfway through the first verse, the whole point of the song hit me: They missed it! Bethlehem missed it. They never knew what happened. They had no idea their Messiah, the Savior of the world, had fulfilled the prophecy of Micah 5:2 and was sleeping in a feeding trough in their very village. They slept through the whole thing."

If we're honest with ourselves, Mark's revelation is probably a new perspective to us as well. Typically, we sing Christmas carols because it's tradition to do so every holiday season, yet how many of us take the time to contemplate lyrics and understand the meaning behind our beloved Christmas carols? That is why I love, 'While You Were Sleeping,' so much, because it forces me to consider the true meaning of Christmas rather than get caught up in the tradition and pageantry of the season. "Oh little town of Bethlehem, looks like another silent night. Above your deep and dreamless sleep a giant star lights up the sky. And while you're lying in the dark, there shines an everlasting light for the King has left his throne and is sleeping in a manger tonight." How incredible for the Son of God to relinquish His crown and willingly subject Himself to the trials and temptations of a fallen world for no other reason but love! Yet even more compelling is the fact that He came in the most feeble and lowest of forms, as a baby lying in a farm animal's feeding trough surrounded by the stench and mess of a barn. "Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping, for God became a man and stepped into your world today? Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history as a city with no room for its King while you were sleeping, while you were sleeping."

The most compelling aspect of 'While You Were Sleeping' is that it highlights 3 examples of cities/nations who either literally or figuratively missed the true meaning of Christmas. Scripture states, "But you, O Bethlehem, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days" (Micah 5:2). Bethlehem was prophesied to be the birthplace of the Savior, yet only a group of shepherds and three wise men recognized the moment and seized the opportunity to witness the Savior's birth. In contrast, Jerusalem was a different story altogether for it was the epicenter of Judaism and as such, became the location where Christ's ultimate sacrifice was made for the sins of mankind. Therefore, while Bethlehem represents the birth of Jesus and subsequent coming of the Messiah, Jerusalem constitutes the nation of Israel known for ultimately rejecting Jesus as their own and sentencing Him to death. Perhaps that is why Jesus once lamented, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" (Matthew 23:37–39). Despite 3-years of preaching and teaching, miracles and healing, Jesus knew nonetheless that many would reject Him as Messiah and shout, "Crucify Him!" rather than open their hearts to receive His Gospel of salvation. "Oh little town of Jerusalem, looks like another silent night. The Father gave his only Son, the Way, the Truth, the Life had come, but there was no room for Him in the world he came to save. Jerusalem, what you have missed while you were sleeping? The Savior of the world is dying on your cross today. Jerusalem, you will go down in history as a city with no room for its King while you were sleeping, while you were sleeping."

What then is our response, we who lie comfortably in our beds? The sad truth is that over 2,000-years have passed since Jesus came into this world and still, millions willingly choose to reject Him as Savior. Rather than relinquish personal control, people hedge their bets on self-fulfillment or some other form of false religion which cannot save a man's soul whatsoever. Make no mistake, geographical location does not guarantee souls will embrace Jesus as Messiah. Despite being one of the most "Christian" countries on the planet, the United States suffers mightily from self-preservation and cultural confusion. Consider Mark Hall's piercing accusation as a fellow, proud American: "United States of America, looks like another silent night. As we're sung to sleep by philosophies that save the trees and kill the children. And while we're lying in the dark, there's a shout heard 'cross the eastern sky. For the Bridegroom has returned and has carried His bride away in the night. America, what will we miss while we are sleeping? Will Jesus come again and leave us slumbering where we lay? America will we go down in history as a nation with no room for its King? Will we be sleeping? Will we be sleeping?" Notice the shift within the song from past to present to future tense. The greatest sign of spiritual maturity is recognizing whether we've learned from our mistakes, and in many cases, our nation is becoming more atheistic by the minute. Yet how can this be? Are we not more privileged than our distant ancestors to know the full story of God's redemptive plan? Do we not have complete freedom as Americans to worship without fear of persecution or death compared to hostile areas in the world where Christians are persecuted, imprisoned, or even martyred for their faith in Christ?

The clear takeaway is that we have been given an incredible gift, PRICELESS in fact, yet many of us have lost sight of what's most important. We've watered down our faith in fear of cultural opposition and embraced political correctness over absolute truth. Granted, nowhere in the Bible does it say, "Thou shalt not say, 'Happy Holidays' in place of 'Merry Christmas,'" but the Bible does have a lot to say regarding topics like abortion which our culture would describe as controversial and up for debate. Make no mistake, there are cultural issues which God's Word does not apologize for its firm position nor bend to appease the opposition, and abortion is one of them. Therefore, when Mark Hall challenges us (in a Christmas carol, nevertheless) to consider whether our nation places more emphasis on the preservation of trees than the preservation of life, we must stop and reflect whether we have actually been lulled to sleep by post-modernistic thinking which aims to shift our personal truth from absolute to relative. Do we believe the Bible allows for abortion even under unfortunate circumstances? Does the Bible truly say marriage is intended for 1 man and 1 woman? Is premarital sex really a sin if the two people love each other and intend one day to marry? There are an infinite amount of questions we could propose that force us to weigh our theology very carefully, yet ultimately we are held accountable for what we believe is true and false. Therefore, as we listen to 'O Little Town of Bethlehem' or 'While You Were Sleeping,' may we be reminded of a parable Jesus once taught which epitomizes why it is so important we remember to spiritually stay awake, well prepared, and on guard so as not to miss the forest through the trees this Christmas season, both literally and figuratively.

"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour" (Matthew 25:1–13).

BOLDLY I APPROACH (Personal Reflection)

By grace alone somehow I stand where even angels fear to tread

Invited by redeeming love before the throne of God above

He pulls me close with nail-scarred hands into His everlasting arms

When condemnation grips my heart and Satan tempts me to despair

I hear the voice that scatters fear, the Great I Am, the Lord is here

Oh, praise the One who fights for me and shields my soul eternally

Boldly I approach Your throne

Blameless now I'm running home

By Your blood I come 

Welcomed as Your own

Into the arms of majesty

Behold the bright and risen Son, more beauty than this world has known

I'm face to face with Love Himself, His perfect spotless righteousness

A thousand years, a thousand tongues, are not enough to sing His praise

Boldly I approach Your throne

Blameless now I'm running home

By Your blood I come

Welcomed as Your own

Into the arms of majesty

This is the art of celebration, knowing we're free from condemnation

Oh, praise the One, praise the One who made an end to all my sin

[CLICK HERE if video does not load]

The inspiration for this post focuses on one of my favorite songs by Rend Collective entitled, "Boldly I Approach / The Art of Celebration." It is a powerful anthem from start to finish as the music continues to build into an explosion of praise to God for who He is and what He has done for us, yet the core message centers on our response to His outpouring of grace, mercy and forgiveness which grips my heart every time I hear it. For God extends to us an invitation of redemption and restoration, that our broken hearts would be healed if we BOLDLY approach His throne in humble reverence and accept His immeasurable gift of salvation. Scripture affirms, "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:14–16). Some Bible translations substitute "confidence" with "boldness," but the message is still the same. Because of Jesus and the blood He shed on our behalf for the forgiveness of sins, we are given the indescribable honor of standing before the presence of God Himself and welcomed as His sons and daughters, spotless and without blemish. Truly, how is that even possible? For if we reflect back through the pages of Scripture, we find where Isaiah came face to face with God as well, and his encounter pales in comparison to the opportunity we are freely given to intimately communicate with the Lord any moment we choose.

• "In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!' And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: 'Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!' Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: 'Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for'" (Isaiah 6:1–7).

Notice the posture and reverence Isaiah exemplifies, for he did not enter God's throne room under any compulsion or inclination he was worthy to stand in the Lord's presence nor gaze upon His majesty. Rather, he confessed his unworthiness because God's redemptive plan through Jesus had not yet been revealed. Fast forward 2,000 years and today, we have been given the honor and privilege of standing boldly before the throne of heaven, confidently assured of our salvation through the blood of Jesus. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8–9). This is an enormous distinction, because Isaiah was not gifted the same opportunity as us even though he literally stood before God. Yes, he was saved by faith and not by works just as we are, but his knowledge of God's redeeming plan was forward-focused whereas the glory of God has already been revealed to us in Christ Jesus. Therefore, we must be diligent to not merely listen to God's Word, but understand its power to destroy strongholds which tempt us to believe we are unworthy to approach the throne of God despite our saving faith in Jesus. That is why Paul exhorts, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace" (Romans 6:12–14).

"By grace alone somehow I stand where even angels fear to tread. Invited by redeeming love before the throne of God above. He pulls me close with nail-scarred hands into His everlasting arms." It is easy to forget our true identity in Christ when the enemy is attacking us from every angle, tempting us to believe our works carry more weight than the grace of God. That is why it is imperative we recognize beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are SAVED BY GRACE alone, even though Scripture affirms, "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead" (James 2:26). Make no mistake, works cannot save us because they are merely the outpouring of thanksgiving from our hearts to God for what He has done to secure our salvation through Christ by grace alone. More importantly, works testify to our faith decision to follow Christ and the subsequent impact that has on our behavior (i.e. how our actions reflect heart change). Therefore, believing our collective good must outweigh our sinfulness in order to make it to heaven one day is foolish to consider, because even if we were 99.99% good, our 0.01% bad (i.e. sin) would damn us to hell if not for the blood of Jesus. "As it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one'" (Romans 3:10–12). What we must remember is that grace is the gravitational pull which draws us into God's presence and exposes our need for salvation. The enemy would have us exhaust ourselves manipulating our ill-conceived pendulum of righteousness over the 50% threshold as if that's all that matters, but no such scale exists at the judgment seat of God, only redeeming love by grace though faith.

"When condemnation grips my heart and Satan tempts me to despair. I hear the voice that scatters fear, the Great I Am the Lord is here. Oh, praise the One who fights for me and shields my soul eternally." As I discussed in my recent personal reflection, "CONVICTION vs CONDEMNATION", discerning the voice of the Spirit vs. the voice of Satan is an imperative skill every follower of Christ must develop. This simply cannot be understated because we were never intended to wallow in the valley of despair by ourselves, unsure whether we are feeling convicted or condemned. For truth be told, God meets us in our seasons of trial right where we are and longs for us to express our thoughts, feelings and emotions to Him so we can be healed, restored and protected from the evil one. That is why Scripture affirms, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:6–8). The reason why we're instructed to cast our cares upon the Lord is because we have an enemy who is patiently waiting for us to let our guard down. The Spirit's protection goes only as far as we allow based simply on our faith decision to follow Christ, which again emphasizes how critical it is to know whose voice is speaking to our hearts and minds at any given moment.  

In the end, our response is clear: "Boldly I approach Your throne, blameless now I'm running home. By Your blood I come, welcomed as Your own into the arms of majesty." It is incredible how simple the formula to receiving comfort in our time of need can be when we approach the throne of grace forgiven of our sins. Keep in mind, Isaiah approached God's throne in fear and trembling because he recognized his sin in the midst of God's holiness. However, we have been given the greatest gift imaginable because we can enter God's holy presence already cleansed of our sin! Similarly, unlike Isaiah who prophesied of the coming Savior, we have already been reconciled to God because Christ's death and resurrection paved the way for our salvation. Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25–26). The key to believing Jesus' promise is understanding that this world is not our home, and therefore we are no longer bound by schemes of the enemy and works of the flesh to obey its desires. Rather, by the blood of the Savior we are blameless and washed clean of our iniquity to the praise and glory of His name. "Behold the bright and risen Son, more beauty than this world has known. I'm face to face with Love Himself, His perfect spotless righteousness. A thousand years, a thousand tongues, are not enough to sing His praise." 

The culmination of "Boldly I Approach" brings the enormity of identity in Christ into proper focus. "This is the art of celebration, knowing we're free from condemnation. Oh, praise the One, praise the One who made an end to all my sin!" The moment we realize we are made alive in Christ, the light bulb should go off in our heads that we have been set free from the power of sin and death. Paul writes, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:17–19). Therefore, the power to hold us captive under the yolk of condemnation is made possible only at our discretion. For Satan has no authority to eternally bind us from the redeeming love of God if we accept by faith the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf for the forgiveness of sins. That is the Gospel of salvation which destroys strongholds and the assurance we need to boldly approach the throne of grace with confidence and humility. "For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:3–4).

• "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near" (Hebrews 10:19–25).

To conclude, I am attaching an additional video of the same song, "Boldly I Approach," but performed by a German church of believers on the other side of the world from where I sit. I am continually amazed by the power of the Holy Spirit who inspires worship in different forms and languages than I personally am familiar with. Truthfully, it expands my appreciation for what God is doing worldwide despite my limited knowledge and experience. Therefore, I believe it is encouraging to share this video in order to articulate a deeper message that worship is not limited by what we are personally exposed to culturally. For one day we will all boldly enter the throne room of grace singing praises to God in our own native tongue, and it will all come together in perfect unity and beautiful harmony for the glory of His name. In the meantime though, may we join our brothers and sisters around the world in proclaiming "The Art of Celebration" so that others may see our unity as the body of Christ and glorify our Savior who is worthy to be praised. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:14–16).

[CLICK HERE if video does not load] 

WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE (Personal Reflection)

When the music fades into the past

When my days of life are through

What will be remembered of where I've come

When all is said and done

Will they say I loved my family

That I was a faithful friend

That I lived to tell of God's own Son

When all is said and done

How I've longed to see the hour

When I would hear that trumpet sound

And rise to see my Savior's face

See Him smile and say, 'Well done'

You can forget my name

And the songs I've sung

Every rhyme and every tune

But remember the truth of Jesus' love

When all is said and done

When all is said and done

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When we pass from this world to the next, how will we be remembered? That is the question Geoff Moore poses in his song written 25 years ago entitled, "When All is Said and Done." It is sobering to reflect on the amount of time we truly have left before we die, therefore it is imperative we stop for a moment and take inventory of our lives. What impact have we had? What purpose have we lived for? Who and what are most important in our lives? Who do we love and who loves us in return? All are powerful, introspective questions. However, perhaps the most convicting question many of us wrestle with concerning our own mortality centers around what legacy we'll leave behind one day. The reality is none of us knows when the clock will expire on our lives or the lives of those we love, and that can be a terrifying realization when our hope is found in anything and everything devoid of God. I am continually convicted though by how easily pride can tempt me to assume tomorrow is guaranteed, yet Scripture warns against such foolish thinking. "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit'—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes" (James 4:13–14). "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned" (Romans 12:3). Both James and Paul present convincing arguments that the arrogance with which we live will directly impact the legacy we leave behind, because "pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). Therefore, the most intriguing question we must consider is how different our life would be if we knew the final hour of our passing, long before that day came to fruition. How would it impact our behavior for better or worse? For example:

• Would we love more unconditionally? 
• Would we resolve conflict quicker? 
• Would we guard our tongue better toward our spouse and/or children?
• Would we allow frivolous insecurities, fears and annoyances to consume our attention?
• Would we forgive others without hesitation?
• Would we seek restitution with those we've sinned against?
• Would we live unashamed of standing firm on God's Holy Word?
• Would we boldly talk to others about the sacrificial love Jesus poured out for our salvation?
• Would we endure persecution for our faith with joy and thanksgiving to God?

OR...

• Would fear of death overwhelm us due to not knowing where we'll end up eternally? 
• Would self-indulgence overcome our mind with endless opportunities to exhaust all the pleasures this world has to offer?
• Would we ignore, minimize or justify sin to our benefit?
• Would we simply lose our motivation to live? 
• Would depression become a stronghold, rendering us incapacitated and hopeless?
• Would anger consume our attitude toward God?
• Would we distance ourselves from those we love?
• Would suicide tempt us to end our misery and suffering?

The sad truth is "knowing" our final hour would bait us into believing we are in some way equal to God, just as Adam and Eve assumed in the garden of Eden when they ate the forbidden fruit. Why? Because knowledge is power, and sometimes temptation is far too enticing and pleasing to the eye to resist. Yet Scripture warns, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction" (Proverbs 1:7). Truthfully, we can be blessed with all this world has to offer, but if we do not have reverent fear of the Lord and a personal relationship with Him, we will pridefully live independent from His grace striving after the wind. The life of Solomon attests to that truth. For after exhausting all the superficial desires of the heart man could ever aspire to consume, Solomon concluded, "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14). In other words, nothing else matters except submission and obedience to our Father in heaven who is judge and jury on our day of reckoning, because He is the author of life and safe-keeper of our souls if we trust in His Spirit, His Word, and His Son, Jesus Christ. The sobering reality is that "we must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast" (2 Samuel 14:14). What an amazing promise! We know one day we will meet our Maker. And for those of us who surrender our personal will for the sake of the Gospel, life will not end when we breathe our last because heaven awaits the saints of God.

• "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom'" (Matthew 16:24–28).

Knowing this absolute truth, how will we respond? Will we embrace the moment, surrender our lives to God, and choose to walk in righteousness for His glory? Or will we reject His provision and chase after the wind for fulfillment in anything and everything devoid of God? I have long held the belief that Ecclesiastes (yes, Ecclesiastes!) is perhaps the most affirming and encouraging book in the Bible, despite all the declarations of "Vanity!" Solomon makes throughout its chapters. Keep in mind, Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived and had infinite resources at his disposal, to which he exhausted them all in search of fulfillment. But in the end, Solomon did us an immeasurable favor by making all the mistakes we would ever dream of making ourselves. Therefore, it is such an encouragement to read Ecclesiastes and be reminded that nothing apart from God will ever satisfy us. Perhaps the most enlightening series of devotions I have ever written was two years ago when I studied the entire book of Ecclesiastes and bathed in the wisdom of its chapters. Why? Because the perspective Solomon provides is immeasurable and allows us the opportunity to learn from his mistakes without suffering the consequences ourselves. Like younger siblings who learn from the good and bad choices their older brothers and sisters make, we have been given a priceless gift of wisdom from Solomon which cannot be undervalued. Therefore, will we reject the wisdom provided to us in Scripture or embrace the power of knowing a life fulfilled is one lived in communion with God, not apart from Him?

• "And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he (Jesus) said to them, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.' And he said to them, 'Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power'" (Mark 8:34–38, 9:1).

What I love most about the song, "When All is Said and Done," is how our legacy as followers of Christ should be summed up. In humility, it begins with a self-examination of choices made through the years, then reflects upon the personal impact of love, faithfulness and truth, made during that lifetime. "When the music fades into the past, when my days of life are through, what will be remembered of where I've come when all is said and done? Will they say I loved my family, that I was a faithful friend, that I lived to tell of God's own Son when all is said and done?" I am convicted when I listen to these lyrics that my purpose in life is much simpler than I make it out to be. In other words, I tend to get caught up in the peripheral functions and duties of life and consequently lose focus of what's most important, just as those in Jesus' day did as well. "'Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?' And he (Jesus) said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets'" (Matthew 22:36–40). Jesus reminds us that RELATIONSHIP is the cornerstone to fulfillment this side of heaven, first with God, then with one another. Spouse, children, parents, siblings, extended family, friends, co-workers, strangers, enemies—it doesn't matter who we define as our neighbor. We are simply instructed to love God first and foremost, and love others just as much as we love ourselves (which is tremendous, if we think about it). If we do that, we will leave a far greater legacy than we could ever imagine when we leave this earth.

The next line of the song focuses on our motivation throughout this life, because we are called to live with purpose in servitude to Jesus. "How I've longed to see the hour, when I would hear that trumpet sound, and rise to see my Savior's face. See Him smile and say, 'Well done.'" The notion that Christ would acknowledge our faithfulness through the test of time is the ultimate reward we long for as Christians, but there is a stern warning attached to that message as well if we abandon our first love. Matthew 25:14-30 details the "Parable of the Talents" Jesus gave to those who wondered what the kingdom of heaven would be like. To summarize, three servants are entrusted with various amounts of money and expected to invest wisely in order to provide a profitable return on their master's investment. Two of them did as instructed, to which their master declared, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master" (Matthew 25:21). However, one servant chose not to invest his master's money, but dug a hole in the ground so he could keep it safe and return it accordingly. In other words, he took no risk and remained complacent with what he had been entrusted and commissioned to do. How prophetic of many who sit in the pews of our churches today! Whether out of arrogance, pride or self-righteousness, we assume we know better or that our eternal future is sealed. So we hunker down and camp out in the valley of indifference and self-preservation without sacrificing a single thing for God despite all He sacrificed for us. I dare say if that servant had attempted to invest wisely yet failed yielding a return, his master would have affirmed his effort nonetheless and welcomed him into the kingdom, regardless of the outcome. Unfortunately, that was not the case either. Thus the master decried, "You wicked and slothful servant!...Take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth?" (Matthew 25:25, 28–30).

The final stanza of the song states, "You can forget my name and the songs I've sung, every rhyme and every tune. But remember the truth of Jesus' love when all is said and done, when all is said and done." As Christians, how we'll be remembered when we die is 100% dependent on how willing we are to elevate the name of Jesus in every aspect of our lives. In other words. "He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all" (John 3:30–31). Therefore, our legacy should unequivocally be identified by the prominence and position of God in our lives, as opposed to the list of accomplishments and accolades we receive during our lifetime. For when God is first and foremost to us, our behavior changes. No longer are we bound by the works of the flesh, but our character and countenance are evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit, which testifies to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

• "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another" (Galatians 5:16–26).

The moment we recognize how infinitely precious we are to God despite how insignificant we truly are as sinful people, the name of Jesus is glorified. And when we glorify the name of Jesus above our own, our legacy becomes more profound to those around us because we're no longer living for ourselves. Make no mistake, secular culture would entice us to believe the riches and pleasures of this world far surpass anything which awaits us in heaven, but Jesus exhorts, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19–21). In the end, our hearts will testify for or against us on our day of reckoning—whether we spent our lifetime consumed by the world or in surrender to the love of Jesus by advancing His eternal kingdom. As for me, I am determined to remain discontent with my efforts to live for righteousness that I may guard against complacency and indifference toward those who desperately need to hear the Gospel message spoken from my lips or written by my hands. More importantly, may they witness God's transforming grace and mercy lived out in my application of His Word, for how will the world know Jesus personally if my life does not reflect His unconditional love? Therefore, may the legacy I leave emulate Paul's in humble and faithful servitude to the Lord (despite my shortcomings) till my dying day, to the praise and glory of His Holy name, not mine. "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:6–8).

WEEP WITH ME (Personal Reflection)

Weep with me. Lord, will You weep with me?

I don't need answers, all I need is to know that You care for me.

Hear my plea. Are You even listening?

Lord, I will wrestle with Your heart but I won't let You go.

You know I believe. Help my unbelief.

Yet I will praise You, yet I will sing of Your name.

Here in the shadows, here I will offer my praise.

What's true in the light is still true in the dark.

You're good and You're kind and You care for this heart.

Lord, I believe You weep with me.

Part the seas. Lord, make a way for me.

Here in the midst of my lament, I have faith, yes I still believe

That You love me. Your plans are to prosper me.

You're working everything for good even when I can't see.

You know I believe. Help my unbelief.

Yet I will praise You, yet I will sing of Your name.

Here in the shadows, here I will offer my praise.

What's true in the light is still true in the dark.

You're good and You're kind and You care for this heart.

Lord, I believe You weep with me.

Turn my lament into a love song.

From this lament, raise up an anthem.

Oh, I'll sing it in the darkness.

Turn my lament into a love song, 'cause I love You Lord,

And from this lament, raise up an anthem.

Oh, I'll sing it in the darkness.

Yet I will praise You, yet I will sing of Your name.

Here in the shadows, here I will offer my praise.

What's true in the light is still true in the dark.

You're good and You're kind and You care for this heart.

Lord, I believe You weep with me.

Yeah, you weep with me.

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Whether we're bold enough to admit it, there are moments in our lives when we doubt God. We doubt His love. We doubt His justice. We doubt His faithfulness. Whether inspired by pain, suffering, misfortune, affliction, loneliness, mourning, anger, etc., the temptation to question God's presence and sovereign purpose in the midst of the storm is a real struggle for many, even those who proclaim themselves as followers of Christ. Why? Truth be told, life circumstances influence our judgment by replacing the absolute truth of God's Word with experiential knowledge. In other words, we tend to lean on what our senses tell us more than what the pages of Scripture teach because they feel more tangible in the moment and therefore trustworthy. As a result, we find ourselves lost in the wilderness without a compass to guide our direction because we've abandoned our first love and the security of His Word. The truth is every one of us gets spiritually lost at some point in our lives, and we need divine intervention to remind us that it's okay to weep and mourn from time to time. Thankfully, tears have the ability to purge the heart of bottled emotions which need to be released, and music has the power to facilitate that process. Such is the case with one of my favorite songs by Rend Collective, "Weep With Me" (lyrics attached below), written in the aftermath of the Manchester arena suicide bombing in Manchester, England on May 22, 2017.

There are so many lines in this song which are rich in Biblical wisdom and truth. To begin, I love the pure honesty of the opening lyric: "Weep with me. Lord, will you weep with me?" It is vitally important when camped in the valley of despair to comprehend that God not only hears our cries, but empathizes with our emotions and meets us in our grief. Scripture reminds us, "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:14–16). Anyone who believes God is immune to suffering is woefully ignorant to the fact that our ability to emote comes from Him, our Creator, because He designed us with the freedom and ability to express emotions. Moreover, God demonstrated His love for us by sacrificing His own Son on our behalf so we could be reconciled with Him and eternally saved from our sins. "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:6–8). Therefore, how could we ever doubt His willingness to intervene in our lives with grace and comfort when Scripture promises, "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?" (Matthew 6:26).

The song goes on to declare, "I don't need answers, all I need is to know that You care for me." It is a brave admission to accept we will never have answers to all our questions this side of heaven, especially due to circumstances out of our control such as terminal illness, natural disaster, persecution, abuse, etc. Yet what our hearts yearn for most in seasons of despair is simply to know we are loved, valued and recognized by God in the moment, and that He hears our lament even we doubt His righteous character in the midst of the pain. May we never forget, "It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed" (Deuteronomy 31:8). The next stanza of the song echoes the true nature of our hearts when we struggle understanding the purpose of our suffering and God's role in spite of it all. "Hear my plea. Are You even listening? Lord, I will wrestle with Your heart but I won't let You go." The raw emotion of struggling to submit and obey God's Word in difficult times reminds me of Psalm 13 where David pointedly confronts God, but holds firm not to abandon the Lord's faithfulness which he knows to be true. "How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me" (Psalm 13:1-6). David undoubtedly languished for answers, but chose to accept that God's sovereign will was more important than his need for explanation and immediate recompense.

The launchpad to the chorus of "Weep With Me" simply states, "You know I believe. Help my unbelief." If we're honest with ourselves, this is the crux of our faith—at least it is for me! Yes, we believe roughly 2,000 years ago Jesus died on the cross of Calvary for our sins, yet we struggle reminding ourselves that His sacrifice was not a past event, but an ever-present promise to never abandon us in our time of need. In other words, there is often a disconnect in times of trial between our head and heart where doubt lies dormant, readily waiting to confuse the assurance of God's sovereignty with self-preservation and blame-shifting. Therefore, we must expose the lies Satan uses to confuse our minds by remembering what God actually says in His Word.

• "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9).

• "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" (Isaiah 41:10).

The song continues, "Yet I will praise You, yet I will sing of Your name. Here in the shadows, here I will offer my praise. What's true in the light is still true in the dark. You're good and You're kind and You care for this heart. Lord, I believe You weep with me." I wonder how much we believe the words of this chorus because they confront our preconceived notion that in some way, God's Word is only applicable in certain situations and environments, and His love circumstantial rather than unconditional. Yet even in our darkest hour, even in the pit of our despair, even when anger envelops our hearts, God's Word is unequivocally TRUE. His promises are TRUE. His faithfulness is TRUE. His devotion is TRUE. Praise the Lord! We must never forget, "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7). Therefore, "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). Our confidence is strengthened when we remember God's intent is never to harm or hurt us, but to restore our confidence that we are safe and secure if we trust His Word without reservation. "Part the seas. Lord, make a way for me. Here in the midst of my lament, I have faith, yes I still believe that You love me. Your plans are to prosper me. You're working everything for good even when I can't see." Keep in mind, worldly comforts and a life devoid of trials is not a realistic perspective we (as people of faith) can assume God promises because it's not Biblical (despite all the "health and wealth" false doctrine spreading like wildfire in this world). Rather, we must realize that trials truly define our faith walk and spiritual maturity, and expose the character God wishes to refine in all of us, even when we can't comprehend the sovereign timing or manner in which He ordains our wilderness seasons. The key to surviving seasons of trial though is to never abandon our love for the Lord in the first place. Hear what Scripture affirms for those "who love God."

• "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12).

• "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). 

• "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations" (Deuteronomy 7:9).

• "I (the Lord) love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me" (Proverbs 8:17).

The lyrical bridge of "Weep With Me" brings everything into focus as we discipline our minds to continually preach the Gospel to our hearts, replacing doubt with faith, and believing God not only hears our cries but comforts us in our time of need. "Turn my lament into a love song, 'cause I love You Lord. And from this lament, raise up an anthem. Oh, I'll sing it in the darkness." It is a powerful moment in our lives (truly, a spiritual marker) when we boldly reject our natural propensity to self-protect and embrace faith instead. Far too often, we blame God for our misfortune rather than viewing trials as opportunities for spiritual growth and relational intimacy with our Father in heaven. We lose focus due to the breadth and depth of our calamity, and fix our eyes upon the boulder before us rather than the one who can move mountains. Consequently, may we never forget to "count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2–4). Yet in the midst of trial remember to be still and know that "the LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18). Therefore, we are encouraged to express our lament and vulnerability to God—not as a complaint, but rather as an anthem of love and devotion, trusting He will never leave us nor forsake us. The enemy would have us believe God abandons or distances Himself from us when calamity strikes, but Scripture reminds us, "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6). Make no mistake, "What's true in the light is still true in the dark." Therefore, may we never waver in our faith or the assurance of God's Word, but continually trust in the Lord and guard the treasure of our salvation, because "fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart" (Proverbs 17:3).