A Moment To Praise 9.21.20
Joyce Lochinger, Gravel Hill Worship Leader
You and Me
I’m going to take you on a trip back in time with this week’s devotion and matching video.
Imagine this. It’s 1997 and I am a busy stay-at-home mom running errands with my then 2-year-old daughter, Shay. I had just dropped off my eldest, Jenna, at school and I was playing the newest WOW 1997 – Top Christian Songs CD in my car’s CD player. I know that last sentence might not make sense to some younger people, but yes, we played CDs in our cars! 🙂
A Moment To Praise 9.21.20 in Song
Anyway, this song came on by DC Talk called, “Just Between You And Me”. It was a song about forgiveness and healing. You can take a listen here: https://youtu.be/6kXJdshVNq0
At this time in my life, I was trying to deal with a hurt that I just couldn’t get over. The bitterness and anger that I felt constantly plagued me. Then, I heard this song. The lyrics absolutely drove me to tears. I nearly had to stop the car so I didn’t get into an accident.
This was the verse that grabbed me:
In my pursuit of God, I thirst for holiness
As I approach the Son, I must consider this
Offenses unresolved, they’ll keep me from the throne
Before I go to Him, my wrong must be atoned
The ‘Secret’
That’s when it hit me. The ‘secret’ to getting rid of all of my negative feelings was nestled right into this verse of that song. This song had been written by someone who didn’t know me at all, but that person was faithful to God. God knew what I needed to hear and the best way to speak it to me – through that song! Here’s what I heard clearly that day:
I needed to ask for forgiveness as well as give forgiveness to others!
In life, if we hold onto past hurts and bitter feelings, the only person that feels bad in the end is us! We torture ourselves with thoughts and emotional reactions that, in reality, may not be true. Most times in my life when I have perceived that someone has been out to get me or out to hurt my feelings, I was not correct! Holding on to our own perceptions only causes us pain. The last two lines of the song cement to me what God expects from us.
Read them again:
Offenses unresolved, they’ll keep me from the throne
Before I go to Him, my wrong must be atoned
A Moment To Praise 9.21.20 in Scripture
I do not want my silly pride and inability to let go of something to keep me from His throne. Nothing is worth keeping me from my eternal life with God! Scripture tells us this:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%201:18&version=NIV
| Isaiah 1:18 NIV – “Come now, let us settle the – Bible Gateway
18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. |
God is saying that we we all need to settle the matter before it eats us up inside, so we can start living again and be forgiven!
The person that I had experienced conflict with? They are still in my life. I learned how to accept them for who they are and to not take their words to heart. Letting things go, I do not stir up bitterness or discontent in my heart. I have forgiven.
Just between you and me, (see what I did there?😁) I’m not always good at this. I have times of insecurity and a very overactive mind, but with the help of God I continue to try. I absolutely have to, my eternal life is at stake!
Have a great week, and be happy!
