Cling

I love music. I can practice for hours, play concerts, teach my students, and still come home and want to listen to music. I often go through stages with artists and styles. Sometimes the "stages" last for a couple times, sometimes years.

A couple days ago I recently rediscovered a worship album I hadn't listened to for a long time. I purchased it right away when it was released three years ago, but I could not identify with most of the songs. The only ones I enjoyed were the beautiful hymn arrangements intermixed between the originals, so I put those I liked on my iPhone and set the CD aside.

On Monday, I pulled it out of my stack and popped it into the CD player in my truck as I went off to teach. As I listened, several of the songs struck a chord in my heart. I have learned many things and grown so much since I listened to that CD the first time. I could actually identify with the message of the songs, and I was convicted where my weaknesses and struggles are. It is so amazing what music can do for the soul. I am so thankful God created it, both for our enjoyment and as a tool to bring glory to Him and I love when the Lord brings something to our attention -- a verse, a quote, a kind word, a song -- just when we need it, and I needed the words of those songs this week.


I needed to be reminded I am not the only one who struggles.

 

 

I needed to be reminded that it's not all about me.

I needed to be reminded that joy comes from abiding in Christ.

I needed to be reminded that I am only fulfilled and complete in Him.



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 It is easy to slip from looking to Christ for fulfillment to looking at things in the world around us -- other people, circumstances, jobs, classes, and so on.

Yet I will never find true satisfaction in any of that because we were created to be complete only in Christ. He is ultimately the One whom our souls long for. Some theologians have described this longing as the cross-shaped hole in the heart of every human being.

We fill that hole when we accept Christ as our Saviour, yet we often slide back into our old patterns and the tendency to search for relief, joy, peace, healing, and contentment in everything but Him. Our need -- my need -- is Him.

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In Psalms, David writes, "My soul, wait thou only upon God: for my expectation is from Him" (Psalm 62:8). Only in waiting and abiding in Him will I find fulfillment.

I also should not to look to the world for approval. I don't need the world to pat me on the back for my choices and achievements or for others to smile on me in order to be fulfilled. No, I do what I do for the Lord and His honor and glory.

The struggle between finding my all in Christ and looking for it out in the world is a daily one. It begins every morning the moment I awake. I need to be aware of the struggle and then make a conscious choice to abide in Him. 


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I have to make the choice and when I do, I unlock the secret to the abundant life -- the content life, the peaceful life, the joyful life.

Cling

Shannon J. Wexelberg

 

When the night is long

When I yearn for deep peace to come

I strain to hear Your song

But suddenly I know I'm not alone.

 

For You settle over me

Dispelling all my fears

My Father, I know You are here.

 

May Yours be the only smile I need to see

May You be the healing washing over me.

With Your arms around me,

Your peace surrounds me

And may it only be You

I cling to.

 

I set out on this road

So many voices call to my soul

They try to fill my cup

But I have found, Lord, that You're my enough.

 

So I'm staying close to You

You hold me to Your side

My Father, the joy of my life.

 

May Yours be the only smile I need to see

May You be the healing washing over me.

With Your arms around me,

Your peace surrounds me

And may it only be You

I cling to.

 

Break any hold

This world has on me

I'm letting go

And I throw myself at Your feet.

There's just one thing

One single thing I need

To know the very One who formed me.

 

The above is one of the songs on that album that ministered to me this week, and I hope it ministers to you as well. Is your soul following hard after Christ? Are you resting in the fact that He is your all, your portion?

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