Thy way, not mine, O Lord

The previous entry that I posted was a song by Kutless called "I'm Still Yours".

If you have opportunity, take the time now to read the lyrics. It's a pretty powerful song that I was introduced to on a trip to TN a few weekends ago to see my little sister graduate. At the time when I first heard the song, the Lord was really molding this piece of clay for His use by way of a rough situation in my life. I was realizing at the time that even if I knew that God was taking my very life from me, that I would still be lifting my hands and praising Him because He's the one who gave me my very life and all of the things in it. My faith was truly being strengthened, and I have found that God uses the most difficult times in our lives to draw us even nearer to Himself. Because of this, I have (believe it or not) found myself asking Him for suffering and for trials if that is what it will take for me to stay near to Him and grow stronger in my faith.

God has not hesitated to answer my prayers for difficult times. And now amidst another difficult moment, I am reminded that I ASKED GOD FOR THIS. I did. So I praise you Lord for being a God who gives and takes away.
And I am reminded of Psalm 23 where David says,
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
He is with me! And there is no place else that I would rather be than near to my Heavenly Father.

And so, I am reminded of a favorite song that I enjoy listening to when I find myself really wanting something and not quite giving it to the Lord. I think of Jesus in the Garden when He prayed, "Not my will but Yours." May we make this our prayer as well because His will is so much greater than ours and He knows us so much better than we know ourselves and has only good planned no matter what we are going through even when it seems dark.
We need only to give ourselves to Him...our desires, our hopes, our dreams, our plans, our decisions, our futures, our everything. And He will bless.

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." -Romans 12:1


Thy way, not mine, O Lord
However dark it be
Lead me by Thine own hand
Choose out the path for me, for me

Smooth let it be or rough
It will still be the best
Winding or straight, it leads
Right onward to Thy rest

I dare not choose my lot
I would not, if I might

Choose Thou for me, my God
So I can walk aright

Take Thou my cup, and it
With joy or sorrow fill
As best to Thee may seem
Choose Thou my good and ill

Not mine, not mine the choice
In all things great or small
Be Thou my guide, my strength
My wisdom and my all, my wisdom and my all


© 2008 Sovereign Grace Worship

If I Lost it All

I'm Still Yours
by Kutless

If You washed away my vanity
If You took away my words
If all my world was swept away
Would You be enough for me?
Would my beating heart still sing?

If I lost it all
Would my hands stay lifted
To the God who gives and takes away

If You take it all
This life You've given
Still my heart will sing to You

When my life is not what I expected
The plans I made have failed
When there's nothing left to steal me away
Will You be enough for me?
Will my broken heart still sing?

If I lost it all
Would my hands stay lifted
To the God who gives
And takes away

If You take it all
This life You've given
Still my heart
Will sing to You

Even if You take it all away
You’ll never let me go
Take it all away
But I still know

That I'm Yours
I'm still Yours

I am Nothing

I Am Nothing
by Jeremy Camp

Seems I'm always in this place,
Where the things I seem to take,
Are the things I wish would fade
I always purpose in my heart,
To do things the right way,
Then I realize I'm still clay
And this piece that's being shaped,
Will be a beauty You create

I am nothing without Your love
I'm unworthy but Your death has been enough
I'm completed by Your touch,
But I feel like I've been given so much
So I thank You,
I thank You

I wouldn't even face,
All the troubles of the day,
If it wasn't for Your grace
Sometimes I even wait,
To see if I'm awake,
Seems so good I can't relate
And Your every word I crave,
And I'm grateful for every breath I take

I am nothing without Your love
I'm unworthy but Your death has been enough
I'm completed by Your touch,
But I feel like I've been given so much
So I thank You,
I thank You

When feeling all my shame,
You won't let it stay,
I sail away into Your love

I'm taking every day,
To give my life away,
It's the only way I know

I am nothing without Your love
I'm unworthy but Your death has been enough
I'm completed by Your touch,
But I feel like I've been given so much
I am nothing without Your love

You are everything
So I thank You,
I thank You
Lord, I thank You
Thank You

PSALM 42

Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul?

1 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.

2 My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?

3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”

4 These things I remember,
as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
a multitude keeping festival.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation 6 and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;
therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deep
at the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your waves
have gone over me.

8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
and at night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God, my rock:
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?”

10 As with a deadly wound in my bones,
my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.