Musical Interlude
By: Misty Grimes
Once again the Lord has “side-tracked” me in the middle of a devotional series to bring you a special message that He has laid upon my heart. If I’ve learned nothing else this year I have learned to be obedient to God’s calling. Just like the last “interruption” the devotions this week will be simple yet direct and to the point. The big change will be that in order for it to have the greatest impact on your life, you are going to have to take a deeper, more active role in our quiet times this week. So open your heart and your mind to receive the message God has for you this week. Please don’t rush through these, really take the time to allow God to reveal Himself to you and remind you of who He is and what He wants to do in your life.
Day One: Run to the Father
Scripture: Psalm 46:1-3: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. There we will not fear, though the earth should change, though mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble its tumult.”
Introduction: Music has such a powerful effect on our lives in many ways and for many reasons. When we listen to music our souls are stirred and our bodies/minds respond in both positive and negative ways. Why? Because of the memories, the thoughts, the people, places and things that are brought up in us when we hear a particular song. Think about it – what is your favorite song? Why is it your favorite song? Who or what does it bring to mind when you hear it? What emotions does it stir in you? Music has always held a special place in my life for as long as I can remember because through it I found my voice, a voice that was silenced by others who told me that my emotions, my hopes, dreams, desires and so forth didn’t matter and it was not okay to express anything I was feeling. Through music I was able to express what was going on inside of me in a way that was normally unacceptable. Now as a Christian it is through music that God most often speaks to me and breaks me where I need to be broken when nothing else He has tried will get my attention.
Both of this weeks devotions are going to the same lesson and application using two songs that the Lord has used in a powerful way in my life over the past few weeks and has now laid upon my heart to share with you.
Lesson: Today’s song is, Run to the Father by Matt Maher. Lately there have been some areas of my life God has been wanting me to bring to Him and allow Him to heal and I have been running from Him rather than to Him because these wounds are very painful to even think about much less attempt to work through to the point of healing. It is through this song that the Lord to bring to the point where I could no longer deny the need for healing and my need for Him to heal this area of my life. Through this song He broke my harden heart and I had no choice but to stop running from Him and run to Him and let Him begin his work of healing in this area of my life. With that in mind here are your instructions for today:
- Listed below are the lyrics to the song and I want you to READ them. Don’t just rush through the reading and say, “Okay, so?” Really read and pay attention to what the words are saying. Open your heart to be receptive to what God wants to say to you.
“I’ve carried a burden For too long on my own
I wasn’t created To bear it alone
I hear Your invitation To let it all go
I see it now I’m laying it down
I know that I need You
I run to the Father
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
You saw my condition Had a plan from the start
Your Son for redemption The price for my heart
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
I run to the Father
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
My heart has been in Your sights Long before my first breath
Running into Your arms Is running to life from death
And I feel this rush deep in my chest Your mercy is calling out
Just as I am You pull me in And I know I need You now
I run to the Father
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
Songwriters: Matt Maher, Ran Jackson, Cody Carnes
- What did God reveal to you as you read these words? What is He asking you to let go of, to trust Him with? What promises of His did He remind you of that you may have forgotten or taken for granted as of late?
- Since some of us are more receptive to words we hear rather than what we read, pull the song up on Utube and LISTEN to it. Clear your mind of everything else and focus on allowing God to speak to your heart. Sing along as a form of prayer and worship to God who can do all things including heal our deepest wounds and break our strongest chains. He wants to do this for you today. Stop running away! Let this song cause you to take a Uturn and run into His arms.
- If the Lord brought anything new to mind as you listened, go back and answer question #2 again.
Conclusion: Go back and read today’s scripture and put it into the context of today’s song and STOP RUNNING AWAY!! It’s time to run to the only One who waits with open arms to embrace you and remind you of how much He loves you and how much He desires your healing in all areas. Run to your refuge and be restored and renewed.
Day Two: Until Grace
Scripture: Isaiah 43:1-2: “But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”
Lesson: Today’s song is, Until Grace by Tauren Wells. What God reminded me of most through this song was that the only true freedom I will ever experience is that brought about by His grace! His grace called me to in such a powerful way reminding me how powerful He is, how much He loves me and how much He desires to take all the ugly, broken areas of my life and turn them into something beautiful! He wants to trade my ashes for his beauty (Isaiah 61:3). By His grace, and His grace alone am I healed!
Instructions today are the same as from day one:
- Listed below are the lyrics to the song and I want you to READ them. Don’t just rush through the reading and say, “Okay, so?” Really read and pay attention to what the words are saying. Open your heart to be receptive to what God wants to say to you.
“I knew I was broken but there was no one that I could tell, mmm
Praying felt like I was throwing pennies in a wishing well
And I started believing I was cursed to carry this weight
I was listing the reasons of why I should walk away
Until grace called my name
Oh, I didn’t know I could be free
Until grace found me
Until grace broke these chains
Oh, I didn’t know I could be free
Until grace found, Your grace found me
I might be looking at a future full of question marks, mmm
But I don’t to have all of the answers if You have my heart
In You, I’m finding redemption a little more with every breath
Brand new like the morning, and I’ll never forget that…
Until grace called my name (until grace)
Oh, I didn’t know I could be free
Until grace found me (oh, found me)
Until grace broke these chains (broke these chains)
Oh, I didn’t know I could be free (I could be free)
Until grace found, Your grace found me (Your grace found me)
You came like force of nature, knocked down every wall I made
You rescued my soul when I thought there was no escape, no
You came like force of nature, knocked down every wall I made
You rescued my soul when I thought there was no escape
Until grace, oh
Uh, tell it to Him
Until grace (Until gr-, until grace) called my name (called my name)
Oh, I didn’t know I could be free (I didn’t know I could be free)
Until grace found me
Until grace
Until grace broke these chains (broke these chains)
I didn’t know I could be free
Until grace found, Your grace found me (Your grace found me)
Oh, oh thank You, Jesus
Your grace found me
Songwriters: Charles Roland Butler, Tauren G Wells, Ethan Gregory Hulse
- What did God reveal to you as you read these words? What is He asking you to let go of, to trust Him and His grace with? What about areas of His grace did He remind you of that you may have forgotten or taken for granted as of late?
- Since some of us are more receptive to words we hear rather than what we read, pull the song up on Utube and LISTEN to it. Clear your mind of everything else and focus on allowing God to speak to your heart. Sing along as a form of prayer and worship to God who can do all things including showering our deepest wounds and breaking our strongest chains with an outpouring of his grace. He wants to do this for you today. Embrace His grace in a new way today and allow its power to pour over you.
- If the Lord brought anything new to mind as you listened, go back and answer question #2 again.
Conclusion: God’s grace is so amazing that I don’t think we can every fully understand it. However, we don’t have to understand it to accept it and allow it to change us, that’s called faith which we are called to live by (walk by faith not by sight – 2 Corinthians 5:7). Embrace His grace, walk in it in a new and fresh way today and every day and be reminded that it is His grace that surrounds you always!