RESTORER OF MY SOUL

All of who I was, all of who I am and all of who I am to be - Christ Jesus has orchestrated. God saw my unformed body and my unmade days beforehand (Psalm 139:16). Then the Lord took great care in creating all of who I am in my mother's womb (Psalm 139:13). 

He made me - a human saturated with rebellious tendencies but with the potential for a radically changed lifestyle. He placed me in an environment that fostered Christian growth and development. At age nine, I decided to follow Jesus. I am now 50 and cannot imagine life without Christ Jesus my Savior. He has been, is and will always be The Lover of my Soul.

With nothing short in supply to worry about these days, having not only someone but the Lord of all creation as the lover of your soul is extraordinary. Anxiety about anything and everything is easy and commonplace for many people now-a-days. North Carolina experienced a tropical storm and an earthquake within a week on top of dealing with a world-wide virus. I even have my own fretful moments, especially when those moments come in waves or droves.

However, I know the Peace Maker or The Prince of Peace and rely on His counsel and fortified safety. Yes, the Lord has supplied me with friends and family to receive comforting words and loving support when needed, but God restores my soul.

My will, personality, thoughts and emotions are what make-up my soul. My soul gets weary at times. During these exhausted moments or tiring seasons, there is no better person to entrust my body and soul to than the Lover of my Soul - Christ Jesus, my Lord and Savior!

Psalm 23 really comes alive during these challenging times, especially the beginning part - "He leads me beside still waters, He restores my soul". Some translations say "refreshes" instead of "restores".

I do not think it coincidence that the soul is refreshed and/or restored beside "still waters". Christ stilled the waters for the Disciples twice not only to prove His mastery over creation, but over any circumstance, especially the turbulent ones. This display of His Sovereignty in Scripture and in my own life re-aligns me with Jesus. His control over all refreshes my whole being and assures me of His title Restorer of My Soul. 

MY PERSONAL RECITAL

I'm so glad that worship is not pigeon-holed into one category of our lives such as singing. Worship is a Christ-like lifestyle. That being said, I am also grateful for the specialization or Calling that God places upon the believer's lives, including that of music. Some worship and serve Christ through teaching, others through the children's ministry, some through the janitorial needs of the church and still others through the administration, but I fall into the music Calling and ministry. 

I feel blessed to have been gifted by God a voice to sing. I have sung non-Christian songs that bring joy into the lives of others as well as myself. However, the ability to sing is an honor and privilege as I sing for, to and about my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

I have sung in choirs, I have sung in teams or smaller groups and I have performed solos. I am thankful for all these different types of scenarios but any song I sing does not bring full meaning unless I can share it with someone. Secular artists have their concerts with audiences in various sized arenas. Churches with their bands, choirs and soloists have a congregation to help lead in song. But what about when we are one-on-one with The Lord?

I know right now I cannot see the physical embodiment of my Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus - but I know His Holy Spirit never leaves my side. He comes with me through my mess. He is with me in the blissful moments and everywhere in between. There is nowhere He is not. With that comfort I can speak to Him, I can praise Him, I can SING to Him, for Him and about Him.

However, singing appreciation about visible results from my invisible Savior is one thing, there will come a day when the thin curtain of the unseen will vaporize with the command of Christ, the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God. From that point forward, I believe I will supernaturally have a one-on-one with Christ any moment I desire. Can you imagine singing or playing your instrument, as the "Little Drummer Boy" song depicts, before The Lord - eyeball to eyeball? I would need some supernatural strength to keep me on my feet and on key.

I ponder on this scene quite a lot. Music is such a powerful tool and great therapy when needed. Music is also a wonderful gift that I totally enjoy laying back at the feet of Jesus by singing to Him now and imaging one day My Personal Recital. 

THOUGHTS

Our brain is an awesome creation of God. Our mind is a terrible thing to waste. David knew all too well the struggle of keeping a mind in right standing with The Lord. In my favorite Psalm, David penned about having and surrendering "anxious thoughts" (Ps. 139:23). David also admitted to an enemy who influences our thought life, he said, "How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?" (Ps. 13:2)

However, David also wrote about a God so personal that The Lord's thoughts were precious toward him and us and knows all about our dealings. Psalm 139:2 says, "You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar." And Psalm 139:17 says, "How precious to me are your thoughts God! How vast is the sum of them!"

This personal interest in my thoughts and own precious thoughts toward me by God strongly encourages me to get my mind right and try to keep it right before Him. Matthew says, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander." (Matt. 15:19) However, the original word used here for "heart" is kardia, meaning mind or center of one's thoughts, feelings or desire. Solomon gives the remedy in Proverbs 1:23 - "Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings."

This call to a higher thought life is not easy, but it is rewarding. "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me." (1 Cor. 13:11) We must mature in our Faith Thought Life so that we may be a better Christ follower.

The war on any decision or challenge in our lives begins on the battleground of our mind. Every skirmish, no matter what the size in our head or lives, must be filtered through The Word of God and His Holy Spirit. Paul encourages the believers in Corinth and Christians down through the ages - "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Cor. 10:5)

Taking every thought captive demands action on our part. A major help taking every thought captive is praying for and wearing The Helmet of Salvation daily. This piece of God's Armor not only aides in keeping His Salvation for us in the forefront of our mind, but also protects our mind by keeping His thoughts as our thoughts. I believe this goes a long way in fulfilling what Paul mentions in Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." 

Notice what the reward for having a renewed mind is? The reward is being able to try out and know God's plan or will. Ever wanted to know what God was thinking about your life or something - keep renewing your mind and taking every thought captive to make it obey Christ. The battle, God's plan and the rewards all start with our Thoughts.