WE HAVE TO COME BROKEN

I'm writing for Five Minute Friday and this week's prompt word is MEND. 

How do you mend a broken heart? 

You can’t.

I’ve done a lot of mending over the years, mostly men’s work clothes – men related to me and mending done in the setting of a small sewing business.  

It’s something I enjoyed doing more than altering women’s clothes, perhaps because of the challenge in it.

Men have a way of wrecking their clothes like no one else.

Their clothes are sometimes stained and smelly and in well-used condition.  

Occasionally, not very often, I would make the call that the garment was beyond repair, and it was time to invest in a new garment.   I remember on one occasion, the young man was not having it and asked for yet more patches on his well-loved shirt. 

When a garment was beyond repair, I would sometimes cut pieces off to be used for future repairs, but I have been known to throw the whole thing in the bin.

Sometimes I would have to unpick entire seams so I could get the garment onto my sewing machine and patch it properly. 

But now, I wish I knew how to mend broken hearts.   Only our good, good Father can do that. 

Only He has the know-how, the power, the understanding and the skilled gentleness for that.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.  Ps 147:3

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.  Ps 34:18 

And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”   Luke 4:17-21

Jesus came to heal people broken by the sin of others and those broken by their own sin.  

I have plenty of people in my life whose hearts are in varying degrees of brokenness, but the ones that impact me the most is seeing the brokenness in my teenage daughters.

Yesterday, my 13yo had a major meltdown.

It was over something fairly minor, but that minor thing ripped the lid off what has been bubbling away for a long time.

We talked a bit about it afterwards and have several times since.

Naming the emotions helps you understand why it’s rising so powerfully to the surface over something ‘silly’. 

Her heart is broken and mostly that manifests as anger and defensiveness.

Today she admitted being hurt and angry about the absence of a caring, consistent, protective, present and normal dad.

I think it’s the first time she’s admitted to herself that it really is bothering her.

That’s a win in itself. 

It hurts to admit your heart is broken.

Even harder to let the Father in to mend it.

That’s her next challenge.

That’s the challenge for everyone with a broken heart.

Recognise it, name it, own it - and then bring it.  

So many people recognise it, learn to name it and own it, but few bring it to the only One who can mend it.  

When we start following the Lord seriously, as she has been for the last year now, stuff starts to become obvious.  

When that happens, we can come to Him broken or we can come pretending we don’t have any problems (like the Pharisees).  

The ones who had a powerful encounter with Jesus are the ones who came broken and ready for change. 

We just need to come, broken and ready for Him to mend every part of us, as only He can do.  

 

Lord I come
Lord I thank You
For Your love
For this grace divine

Love and mercy undeserving
You gave it all
The greatest sacrifice

You were wounded for my sin
And You were bruised
For all my shame
You were broken for my healing
Only by the cross I’m saved

You’re the mender
Of the broken
To every outcast
A friend and comforter

I come boldly to Your presence
Lord I bow before Your throne
You’re my Healer
My Redeemer
You’re my hope
My life my all

You hear the cry of the broken

 

BE A MUG!!

In Australia, we have a saying, ‘Don’t be a mug, mate!’    It essentially means ‘Don’t be an idiot!’  

You don’t hear it so much these days, but it was quite common when I was growing up.

But I want to say that I think we need to be a mug, or at least I do. 

I received five mugs for Christmas and several journals.  Last Christmas I got lots of tea.  I can’t drink coffee and so I love to experiment with different teas.

I have a lot of different mugs on my kitchen shelves.   I rarely have two the same.   I love quirky mugs, solid mugs, big mugs and mugs with a solid base on them, so I don’t knock them over.  I don’t have a favourite – they’re all special.   Many of them are gifts that have been given to me, which makes them more special.   

Lately I’ve been reading and listening to some people on Instagram that I follow, and the general theme is show up authentically, be yourself, stop keeping the peace, stop being quiet, stop playing nice, be who you really are. 

What’s that got to do with mugs?   A lot, as it turns out.  Back to that in a minute.

I think ‘show up authentically’ can be mistaken for do and say whatever you want and expect others to suck it up and like you anyway, or walk away.   I don’t believe most of these Instagram people mean that by it, but it could be taken that way.  

I think they’re trying to speak to people who’ve spent their lives, like me, squeezing into molds, shapes, and images, to earn love, keep love, be accepted, be heard, be validated. 

We can spend our lives trying to live up to a certain image that we want others to see and accept, and we can do all sorts of masking, pretending, and performing to convince ourselves and others that that’s who we are. 

None of that is helpful, but also not right and not accurate.  It’s not godly behaviour at all, but it often presents as good works or being ‘nice’ or giving.    If our motivation is off, the fruit can look great, but not be real and not last.  

I love the verse in the psalms where it talks about mercy meeting truth.

Mercy and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed.  Ps 85:10

Jesus was all about truth and grace going together.  

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.    For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.   John 1:16,17

But His grace couldn’t be applied while people were pretending, hiding, performing, and masking the truth.  He called out the reality of their situation and their actions and their hearts.    

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  John 8:31,32

For some people, that was liberating, because they responded with repentance and gratitude and they got healed, got set free, got to move forward, were able to grow.  

For other people who wanted to maintain the image, and perhaps the power and control that their image afforded them, His message wasn’t liberating - it was offensive. 

Lately, He’s been offending me a bit and I’ve had to dig deeper and ask what He wants.   For the past year, He has put His finger on motivation and image and performance.    And now, for this month of January, He has told me to step back from everything and just get quiet with Him.   We can keep ourselves pretty busy with good works and showing up a certain way and miss who He is and what He wants for us. 

So, why do we do all of that?   Because we don’t know who we are and we don’t know how HE sees us.   Perhaps we’re trying to do what we think He wants.   Perhaps it’s just how we’ve learnt to love Him and love people.  

I think we can get caught up doing it to convince people we’re mature, win respect and perhaps position and credibility.   Perhaps it’s just to earn love and acceptance. 

But we need to be the mug that we actually are, not somebody else.   The mug HE designed and HE requires of us – nothing more, nothing less.  

We need to show up as we are – cracked, flawed, the ‘wrong’ colour, the ‘wrong’ shape, the ‘wrong’ size, different to everyone else on the shelf.  

But to do that we have to get an accurate view of how He sees us, who we really are, who HE says we are.  That’s the truth we need.   Not your truth or my truth or their truth, but the truth of the One who sees it all and saw it all before He made us.

Our value has to come from Him, not whether we measure up to the standard of the gathering, family, workplace, school, church, or significant person, etc that we belong to.     If we want to be a vessel that is truly open to and available to His Spirit, we have to show up authentically, and just stop pretending we’re something we’re not.  

Does that mean we bare our dirty laundry for everyone to see?   No, not at all.   But we have to stop hiding the bits of our story and personality that are messy or not acceptable.  

It doesn’t mean we get to be obnoxious and expect others to just accept that.   It just means being real.   Being the people we actually are. 

That just might ruffle some feathers, create strain in some relationships that previously felt like home, might upset some people who want purple mugs when you’re actually pink and you’re wearing yourself out trying to be purple.  It might upset some people who want refined mugs when you’re actually pretty ordinary (in their estimation).  

When we are real and respect our own value enough to stop striving and hiding and earning, then those around us can love us well.   If that’s not the case, we need to move on and find the ones who will.   But we won’t be loved authentically if we don’t show up authentically.   What each of us needs from our gatherings is to be seen and loved as we are.   When we do that, we’ll see where we truly belong, where He has made us to fit.  

What kind of mug are you?   Like, really?   Who are you?  

Are you getting your identity from what HE says?   Are you understanding that your worth is in what HE says, and His character?    Is your doing coming from a place of love and service, or are you striving and pretending and performing and hiding?  

Are you letting Him shape you into the kind of mug HE wants and showing up where HE wants, how HE wants?  

But now, O Lord, You are our Father;
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all we are the work of Your hand.  Isa 64:8

His shaping is done out of love and mercy and the knowledge of who He designed you to be in the first place, before you started being shaped by others, before you started squeezing into molds and hiding flaws.

These are questions He’s asking me, heading into a new year which honestly needs to be different.   One of His main messages to me lately, for the last few months, is ‘do no more, but no less than what I give you to do’.   That’s hard when you’re used to over-functioning because you know that stepping back is going to upset some people and you’re going to be misunderstood.  And they’re going to realise you’re not the mug they thought you were.  

One thing I learned from this book last year was that Jesus was strong enough, secure enough, and loving enough to risk disappointing people and being misunderstood because He knew who He was and He only did what He saw the Father doing.   Sometimes, He said no.  Sometimes, He walked away.  Sometimes, He was quiet.   Sometimes, He healed people on the ‘wrong’ day.  Sometimes He embraced the ‘wrong’ people and disobeyed rules.    Sometimes, He flipped tables.    But He knew the Father, listened to the Father, obeyed the Father, and that was enough for Him.

Is it enough for us?  Is it enough for us to be truly seen by the Father, loved for who we are, refined and shaped by Him?   Because until it is, we will keep hiding, striving, performing and showing up as something else, someone else.   

I want to be that kind of mug, because that’s honestly where the freedom is, and the security is.  That’s how He can pour out into people’s lives through me.   And honestly, isn’t that what it’s really all about?  

  

Changemy heart Oh God, make it ever true.
Change my heart Oh God, may I be like You.
You are the potter, I am the clay,
Mold me and make me, this is what I pray.
Change my heart Oh God, make it ever true.
Change my heart Oh God, may I be like You. 

I'M BEING REAL ABOUT THIS

My dad passed away suddenly on Wednesday morning.   He hadn’t been well for months so we were kind of expecting it, but it came suddenly in the end.   Next time I’ll write about what I believe the Lord did during those final few days of his life, but for now I need to write about something else.  

People have called and messaged me and asked, ‘How are you?’   I’m actually okay, just at the moment.    Well, actually, I’m numb and perhaps the tears will come later but right now I’m too busy to stop.   The timing isn’t great but then it’s never a convenient time to lose a loved one.   I’m still in the midst of an ongoing legal battle that just isn’t ending even though the end is ‘just over the horizon’, ‘at the end of the tunnel’, ‘any day now’, and has been for over two years.   The emotional roller coaster of that has left me pretty numb and not really keen to process anything else.  

Those who know me well know that my relationship with my father was a difficult one.     I’m not missing Dad today particularly because I lost him many years ago, in terms of relationship.  

About ten years ago, I challenged him about his treatment of Mum and my brothers and myself.  He made it very clear that nothing was going to change and it was ‘my way or the highway’.  I finally got brave enough to choose the highway and risk his rejection.   I wasn’t prepared for the way he rubbished me to anyone who would listen.  Anyone who knew me even a little got dragged into his circle of validation and accusation.    With some people, the lies stuck, but for others who’d been hurt too, they saw through it.  

About four years ago, I challenged him about the various kinds of abuse we all copped from him behind closed doors, over many years.   He acknowledged the sexual abuse, but nothing else, and there was no apology offered, just an acknowledgement that it happened.   He didn’t acknowledge his behaviour towards my mum or my brothers.   That speaks for itself.   Did he not see it or did he just not see that it was wrong?  

So often, we look for and ask for validation or apology from those who hurt us, but we can’t wait for that.   We have to just let that go.  Perhaps that’s what forgiveness is about – letting go of not just the hurt but the need to have them own it.  

My brothers and I were in his room at the nursing home, standing by his bed, several hours after he’d gone, and we were saying that we half expected him to say something harsh to us while we were discussing what needed to be done.   Our minds knew that wasn’t going to happen and yet our hearts were bracing for it, waiting for the next round of criticism and harshly spoken demands.  It’s our hearts that know things because we’ve experienced it.   It’s our hearts that need healing.  

Don’t speak ill of the dead?   Not sure where that came from, but God asks us for truth.   If nothing else, I will be truthful with myself and with the Lord because there is freedom in that.    And He can show me where my heart is out of line.  But I have learnt the hard way that pretending isn't going to lead to healing, so I'm being real about this.  

As for forgiveness, that’s a work in progress.   We make a decision to forgive, and we should, and that’s been an ongoing choice for me.   But oftentimes, at key moments, and I guess this is a key moment, something rises up and we need to choose again and the forgiveness goes deeper.   

But forgiveness doesn’t equal closeness.   Closeness has to be safe, and with Dad it just wasn’t.   I kept a safe distance from Dad because I could not and would not agree to go along with his games and his need for control, particularly of Mum.    They both knew how to drag you into their dramas and use you as an audience, to get their way in a situation.   Distance is the best way to deal with that. 

I knew I couldn’t lean on Dad in any way, or give him any kind of vulnerability because he would exploit it.   So I didn’t.  Our interactions were always about him – how he was, what he needed, what he thought about things.   If he rang, it was always to ask me for something, never to ask how I was or did I need anything.   He remembered birthdays and Christmas – for us, our kids and our grandies.   He was good at that.   But you couldn’t trust yourself to him and really, that’s what there is to miss in a relationship – the closeness, the trust, the leaning on, the leaning in - and that’s been missing for a very long time.  So I’m not grieving like someone who had a good relationship with their dad.   I wish I was, but I can't pretend it was something that it wasn't.  

Dad had a fairly close relationship with my sister-in-law, Dee, and we are very grateful for that because he was actually letting her help him with financial and legal matters and just practical needs.   He leaned heavily on her, but he wouldn’t let us get close to him.   She challenged him about that, but he wouldn’t divulge his reasons.   

I posted his photo and a few words on a local memories page on Facebook, and it was interesting to hear some of the comments from people who’ve known him for years, through the gun club, through work, through family ties. 

A nicer bloke you’d never meet

He was so proud of you all.

He was such a gentleman.

They are hard comments to read but they actually confirm what my brothers and I said the previous day – he was two different people.   We didn’t get the nice bloke, the gentleman, the respectable man.    He never told us he was proud of us or that he loved us.   We got someone very different, as often happens in families.  

But it shouldn’t.    And because it did, we’re struggling with it because we’re not feeling what you should feel when your dad dies. 

A close friend asked me yesterday if I’m grieving and my response was, ‘I’ve been grieving for my father for many years’.  It’s been a slow and invisible grief, one that’s not easily understood by those who had a good relationship with their father.  For years I have grieved and wept for what could have been, what should have been, and I've done that mostly alone, not with the recognition that happens when someone dies.  

I’m trying to find some peace in all of this because I need it, and I need to not layer guilt on top of everything else – guilt that I don’t feel particularly sad and that I’m not grieving like others would, and like some expect me to.

And then I read the words to this song yesterday that my brothers want to play at his funeral.  Dad didn’t want hymns or Bible verses or anything ‘religious’.   Funnily enough, this song helps with the forgiveness because it reminds me that he was a person too.   When we can look beyond what they should have done, we can let it go and leave the outcome with the Lord, and that’s so important.   Perhaps that too is part of the forgiveness – letting go of even the reasonable expectations. 

Oh, before they turn off all the lights
I won't read you your wrongs or your rights
The time has gone
I'll tell you goodnight, close the door
Tell you I love you once more
The time has gone
So here it is

I'm not your son, you're not my father
We're just two grown men saying goodbye
No need to forgive, no need to forget
I know your mistakes and you know mine
And while you're sleeping I'll try to make you proud
So, daddy, won't you just close your eyes?
Don't be afraid, it's my turn
To chase the monsters away

Oh, well, I'll read a story to you
Only difference is this one is true
The time has gone
I folded your clothes on the chair
I hope you sleep well, don't be scared
The time has gone
So here it is

But for so many parents, especially of my father’s generation, they don’t see that they’re just people.  They see, probably because it was their model too, that they get to have God-like privilege and position, that they get to define their children, shape them, direct them (even well into adulthood), own them, contain them, control them and even abuse them.   That was certainly how Dad saw us – trophies and servants and sometimes objects.   

But God says otherwise about me, and it’s taken me this long to see that I am defined by HIM and not by my earthly father, because he was just a human.   He was shaped by his father and others, instead of letting his heavenly Father shape him and love him and tell him who he was and how much he was valued.   Even as an old man, my father was still fighting with his father, and resisting his heavenly Father because of that.  I’m sure that was behind a lot of his behaviour towards us.   It wasn't God's love that was shining through Dad;  it was his very limited  and conditional 'love'.   

But it’s what WE do from here on that will determine whether we repeat those generational cycles or set our children and grandchildren free to be all that God intends for them.  

My heavenly Father gets to define who I am and He can heal and He has and He does.   But we have to let Him, and give Him all the broken pieces.   He could have healed my father's wounds and perhaps at the end he finally allowed the Father to do that.  

We have to stop looking to the hurtful ones to heal us.  They simply can’t.   Only the Lord can do what is divine.   

Yesterday, the Lord led me to Psalm 45 again.

Listen, O daughter,
Consider and incline your ear;
Forget your own people also, 

and your father’s house;

So the King will greatly desire your beauty;
Because He is your Lord, worship Him.  

Psalm 45:10,11

I will worship the One who should have that worship, and I will love everyone else.  

I will continue to be honest with myself, with Him, and with those who can handle it. 

Mercy and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed.  Ps 85:10

I will get my value and my identity and my help from Him, in whatever way He chooses to give it, and through whom He chooses to give it.  

Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
Extol Him who rides on the clouds,
By His name Yah,
And rejoice before Him.

A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows,

Is God in His holy habitation.
God sets the solitary in families;
He brings out those who are bound into prosperity;
But the rebellious dwell in a dry land.  Psalm 68:4-6

 

I run to the Father
I fall into grace
I'm done with the hiding
No reason to wait
My heart needs a surgeon
My soul needs a friend
So I'll run to the Father
Again and again
And again and again
Oh, oh, oh

You saw my condition
Had a plan from the start
Your Son for redemption
The price for my heart
And I don't have a context
For that kind of love
I don't understand
I can't comprehend
All I know is I need You

IF ELEVATORS COULD TALK!!

Written for Five Minute Friday’s prompt word, CAPACITY.

Good morning, Lord.  I’m ready to open up, and take Your people where I think they need to go. I’ll do it with flair and style, and my room is very neat and tidy this morning.  Whatever You want, Lord, I’m here and I’m available.

Well that’s nice Harvey, but remember it’s not about where you want them to go; it’s about where they need to be, what My plans are for them.    And this morning, I have the Scott family for you and they’ll be here soon.

But Lord, they are so stinky and loud and messy!!!   And they want to go up and down, and up and down, and keep me busy all day so I can’t take the stylish people.    Can’t you give them to Shane over there?  He’s not doing anything.    He doesn’t care if Your people are stinky and unkempt.   He’s like that anyway.  He never takes care of his appearance like I do.  What about Johnno?  He could do it.   I should be reserved for the stylish people.   They would appreciate the care I take.    

No, Harvey, there are some things you need to learn, and the Scott family will help you learn them. You said, ‘here and available’, remember. 

Now Johnno, I’m very grateful that you are willing to take on anyone.  This morning, I have an important dignitary for you, and she will need several trips.   She loves the perfume, so try not to sneeze when she gets in.   We don’t want your doors flying open mid journey!!  I want to reserve you for the day, so she can come and go whenever she needs to. 

That is not fair, Lord!!  How come he gets the important person?!?!?  

Harvey, you said ‘whatever You want, Lord’.  I’ve given you the whatever for today.   You still have some things to learn.  Johnno has learnt them well and he is truly available.

And Carrie, I need you to take the football team to their places today, though not all at once.   They’ll be coming in stages. 

But Lord, they’re so heavy and rough.  I don’t think I can manage that.  I’m not strong enough for that.    Please ask someone else.    Bill likes football.  I wouldn’t know how to handle football players.  

No, Carrie, your grace is exactly what they need for their trips.   And remember, it’s not about your strength.  It’s about Mine.   You are the elevator, but I am the structure.  You just do what I have designed you to do.   I’ll hold the load.   Just lean into Me, and we’ll get the job done. 

Now, Hilda, I want you to slow down.  You’re doing too much.   You have a limited capacity, and you need to remember that.  

But Lord, I have to keep busy.  I have to work hard - all day.   I need to earn my place here.   Or I might lose it.  Serving is how I do that.  I have so many people who need me.

Your place here is not earned, Hilda;  it’s given.   By Me.   I just need you to do what I give you to do – no more, no less.  In doing that, you will be healed. 

Listen to Me first, just Me.  And carry My load with the grace I give you.  Rhythms of grace, remember.  

There will be people who want more than that and you have to say to them, ‘Sorry, I can’t do that today.   I have a limited capacity, and I take my orders from Him.   He knows what you need, and He knows what I need.’

But Lord, what if that upsets them?  They need my help.  I don’t want to let them down.  I need to be the strong one for them.    What if they think I’m weak or slack or that I don’t care? 

Let them think what they want, Hilda.   Your value is in Me.   I will direct them to get the help they need, as they need it.   If you do too much, they won’t learn to lean on Me.   But if you keep doing too much, you will break, and be of no help to anyone.    Just stick to the rhythms of grace I show you.   No more, no less.  Listen to Me, learn from Me, for I am gentle.  You do not need to strive for Me.   I have given you a certain capacity.   Stay in the grace I have given you.  Learn to say no when you need to.

https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/15369832-luxury-hallway-interior-with-golden-elevator-doors

Susie, I want you to be available for whenever Mrs Todd needs to come and go.  She should be here soon.

But Lord, she’s so fragile and weepy and just so draining!!  She talks so much, and I get overwhelmed.   I don’t know how to handle her or what to say.  And she is so unsure of where she wants to go.   She keeps me coming and going all day, and we both get confused and worn out.

I know, Susie, but she looks to you for strength and stability, and if you could be available for her, I could strengthen her, and you, in the process.   I will enable you.   Don’t look at your lack of capacity.  Look at My unlimited capacity.   I’m here for you too.   As she leans on you, you lean hard into Me.   That’s where My grace kicks in, as you draw on it.  And you will grow and be strengthened as you serve her.  We can carry her together. 

If you say so, Lord.   I will try.  But I’m sure someone else would do it better.   I get tired just thinking about it.  

That’s because you haven’t learnt to lean.   Lean in – hard.   We’ll carry this load together.  My grace is sufficient for you if you will just tap into it. 

Lord, what about me?   How long will I be out of order?  How long do I have to rest and do nothing?   I feel so useless and broken.   I need to feel useful again.

https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/15369770-repair-man-and-out-of-order-elevator

 

I know, Shane.   But I have work to do in you before I can let you work again.  If you will let Me do it, your next season will be stronger than anything you have known before.   It’s okay to just be.   You will know yourself and Me in a much deeper way, if you just take the time to heal.  I have much for you to do, but I need you to let Me heal you properly.   If you get back to work too early, you will miss out and so will others.   Remember, your value is not in your service – it’s in Me.   Your place here is secure. There is a time for everything, and this is your time to rest.  

Harvey, what are you wrestling with now?  

Look at Bill over there!!   How come he gets to take so many people at once?  That’s not fair.  You should let me do that.  I’m strong enough.  I’m built for this.   And I could do a much better job.    I can do it!!   I’ll show You!

I know exactly what you can handle, Harvey.  I’m more aware of your capacity than you are. 

I’ve given Bill a special anointing for carrying that kind of load.  I’ve been preparing him for that for a long time.  He’s learned some hard, painful lessons and he’s ready for that.   I’ve stretched him and renovated him and reworked him many times over because he has let Me.  His capacity for that level of service is much greater than yours, even if you both look the same size.  He has let me do the work I needed to do, to increase his capacity.   He knows how to lean in.  And, he doesn’t care who gets in!!   He can handle messy and dirty and loud and smelly - and stylish.   He treats everyone the same.  

You, Harvey, have much more to learn.  Will You let me do what I need to do in your life?  I want to increase your capacity, but you have to let Me do the work in you.   You need a makeover, Harvey. 

Hmph!!  

Okay, everyone, it’s time to get to work for the day.   This is the day that I have made.  Let us rejoice together and be glad in it, as we love and serve and go about our day.  It’s for some music and time to rejoice in our day.  

Remember, lean in, listen to Me, and learn those rhythms of grace that I have for you.

 

This is the day which the Lord has made; Let’s rejoice and be glad in it.    Ps 118:24

 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me — watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”  Matt 11:28-30 MSG

 

There's a Light that shines with hope and grace
Fills the sky with new mercy each day
We're alive, let Your Glory pour out Jesus
There's a joy that overwhelms our souls
Cause we know, our God is in control
Overflow, let Your favour pour out, Jesus
This is the day that the Lord has made
We will rejoice and be glad in it