Only You

I'm in my office this morning as is normal for me on a Friday and was listening to music on Zune (no I don't have an iPod) and the song "Only You" by David Crowder came on. First of all, let me say that I really love this song. For some reason it really speaks to me. I love to lead worship and it's always amazed me how something can be so corporate and so individual at the same time. We all know that God has called us to be a part of the body, a corporate entity with a singular purpose, but God has also spoken to us each individually and distinctly. My walk is often very different from those with whom I am the closest.

How is it, then, that we can say to anyone that their experience with Christ must be uniform with ours? How is it that we can tell everyone they must experience God in the same way we do? There are obviously areas in which we must be dogmatic, areas where there can be no deviation, such as the saving power of Jesus and the belief that he is the only way to God, but as far as the liturgy we use in a corporate sense, who decided that all Baptists behave this way and all Methodists behave this other way?

I know this is a long way from "Only You" but it's a conversation I think the church at large should have with itself. Who are we anyway except sinners saved by grace? The most powerful testimony we have is our own experience with Christ and what's amazing is that no one can deny it. I leave with this. I love the chorus of this song. I think it reflects in the simplest possible terms the heart of a believer.

And I will worship
You, Lord, only You, Lord
And I will bow down
Before You, only You, Lord
~David Crowder* Band

election woes

This election season has had me thinking about our nation's history. We tend to think only in the present and don't take into account the fact that our nation's leaders have always had heated discussions about the right course of action. We also forget that every discussion has often ended in compromise, no clear victory for either side.

What I fail to see now is heated debate about ideas. Oh, we hear promises about what candidates are going to do, but no real debate. How are we to decide for whom we should cast our vote? Oh right, we have political ads on television, radio, and in print. Instead of thinking about which idea is right, we now are confronted with which candidate is a better person. Who is more experienced, who is better looking, who is more genuine, who is younger? These are the questions we're asked. The truth is, we don't really know who would be a more qualified or better leader. Let's be honest. What job exists in the world that would prepare an individual to be a nation's leader? It obviously doesn't come through a blood-line. It's not just about a person's intelligence. I also don't think it's about military service. Of all the presidents in the past, I can think of three that possibly had enough military service to qualify for the title of Commander-in-Chief: George Washington, Ulysses Grant, and Dwight Eisenhower.

So what's it about? It has to be about ideas. But we never really hear about ideas, especially not in the red state of Texas which last voted for a democrat in 1976. We never hear about another candidate's ideas, except in nationally televised debates which aren't really debates. Where are the passionate discussions about what we think is the best course of action, not empty promises about "what I'm going to do?" Where are the candidates who lay themselves on the line, knowing that what they say could cost them the election, but are willing to say it because they believe it's right?

I'm tired of political ads that never address issues, but instead call the other candidate a bad person. I'm tired of candidates who don't say what they think because they're afraid of losing. I want a candidate who will be honest. I want a candidate who doesn't say what people want to hear. If a candidate would do or say anything genuine, he or she would have my vote, even if I didn't agree completely with them. I want someone who is thoughtful, not someone who will toe the party line. I want someone who will lead, not wait to see where the people want to go.

Anyway, that's a long thought about really nothing that's important, just what's been on my mind. Tune in later for my thoughts about caramels and marshmallows.

New at this

I'm new at the blogging thing. My friend Rick would be proud of me, though, because he's told me several times in the past that I need to blog. He said it can be cathartic and that it helps to get your thoughts in order. My fear is that I'll simply forget about it or that I won't really have any thoughts that are worth writing down.

I thought I'd start with the title. One of my favorite words from my faith is ransomed. In Hebrew the word is padah (probably transliterating that incorrectly). It means "he ransomed or he redeemed." It means that someone or something has been bought by a person who already had a claim of ownership over that person or thing. It reminds me that I already belonged to God by way of creation. Now I belong to him again by way of his redemption, his ransom of me. It reminds me that I have been bought with a price and my life is not my own.

My desire in life is that God would use me to accomplish his purposes in the world. I know that I am broken. I know that I am flawed. But God ransomed me, he bought me back. That in itself is cause for celebration. That he would also desire to use me for his purposes, that is beyond comprehension. I pray I live a life worthy of my calling.