Have you ever had a song stuck in your head?   No matter what else you try to think about, your mind always comes back to the tune and/or the words and you find yourself humming, whistling, or  quietly singing it to yourself.  
 
Such was the case for me this morning.   A song from my youth based upon Psalm 25 came to the forefront of my mind  and refused to return to the portion of my brain that houses distant  memories.   I had to not only sing it in its entirety several times before it was no longer ‘right there,’ but also had to look up the psalm and read it to see how accurate my memory of the words were.  
 
One of the verses in the song that was prominent in my head was  from Psalm 25:7 “Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord.”

As Christians, it is often times more difficult to be around people who ‘knew us when;’ to the time prior to when we chose to live a
life pleasing to the Lord.  These are the same people who talk of us today as if we were still that person of  yesterday.  These are the people who cannot accept our changed state into the incredible new creation we become after we accept Christ, nor do they choose to see the areas of growth that have occurred (and continue to occur) as we are daily molded into what Christ would
have us to be tomorrow.

One of the problems with people reminding you of what you used to be is that their words bring to mind the ‘old tunes’ of the past that were made by the consistent, prolonged negativity spoken to us, with - what I call - words of 'not enoughness.’    Perhaps you were told you were not good enough, or attractive enough, or athletic enough, or fast enough, or organized enough, or well-behaved enough, or smart enough.  And as a result, you felt as if you were not enough.  Period.

Yet the simple truth is that we have great worth and are loved an unfathomable amount by God, so much so that He willingly sent His son to die in our place for our sins.  

     Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

We need do only one thing in order to be counted as enough in God's eyes:  accept His Son.

    Psalm 25: 3 “No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame.”

When the ‘old tunes’ of negativity arise in your mind, replace it with a new song of praise to the Lord. 

     Psalm 13:6 “I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.”

Repeatedly sing your song of praise to Him and soon it will be these notes that will get stuck in your head.  He’s waiting to hear from you.

 
(For more information about forming a relationship with the Lord, see How You Can Find Him located at the top of this page.)

Monday morning.  

The screaming of the alarm clock on this first workday of the new week is
usually greeted by a groan and then a bounce out of bed as I start the rush to
accomplish the many items on the latest list of “things that simply have to get
done” before Friday arrives.  Some weeks are more task-heavy than others when, along with all of the normal household business to tend to, several periodic chores fall within the same week.  

Overwhelmed – are we ever just ‘whelmed?’ –by the thoughts of all the things that need attention this week, I wondered how I could ever get it all done.  Then I remember that I only have to do what I can.

Mark 14:8 (NIV) “She did what she could.  She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.” 
 
Luke 7:36-38 paints an even more beautiful picture of this scene for us.  
 
“When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears.  Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.”

This ‘sinful’ woman, desiring to both worship Jesus and mourn His approaching death, did what she could and anointed His feet with expensive perfume.  How expensive was this perfume?  It had cost a year’s wages.

She could not help Christ carry His cross.  That act of worship belonged to Simon of Cyrene. Instead, she did what she could.  She wept and then wiped Jesus’ tear-stained feet with her hair to dry them.

She did not own the tomb that was given as the place where Jesus was to be laid after His crucifixion.  That privilege belonged  to Joseph of Arimathea.  She did what she could and worshiped Him by placing kisses on the feet of the One who was willing to walk the path of pain, suffering and death.  She had loved [Him] much and her sins had been forgiven.  
 
The men who witnessed her loving treatment of Jesus grumbled about her ‘sinful’ nature, the cost of the perfume she used, and that she was touching His feet.  Yet she was passionate and focused in her actions and completely heedless of these men or their comments as she performed her act of true worship.

She did what she could.

As a woman, she knew about perfume; about how hair was considered a woman’s crowning glory; and that tears were an
acceptable way to express deep emotions which could be freely released.  She used the things of which she had knowledge.  She did what she could and was honored and remembered for her actions down through the ages.

How often do we feel that we don’t do enough?  Or else with all that we do, that more and more activity is needed as there is always more to do?  (And there always will be.)
 
She did what she could.

This is a lesson for us.  We need to do what we are able to do - right where we are - to honor and worship Christ.  Our focus, once changed to Christ, will let us see what we truly need to do and we’ll be able to do it with confidence in spite of the biting comments of those watching us and deeming our work (i.e. our act of worship) as insignificant, or as not enough.  
 
She did what she could.  
 
What is it that you could do to worship Him?  He’s waiting for you.

 
(For more information about forming a relationship with the Lord, see How You Can Find Him located at the top of this page.)

Dawn is one of my favorite times of the day.  As the sun gently nudges the edge of the horizon, the muted darkness hesitatingly relinquishes its hold on the sky and pales.  Suddenly a vivid array of violet, blues, and pinks begin to form as the sun continues its ascent and the sky bursts forth in celebration of the new day.

This brand new day is as yet unblemished by negative human
behavior.  For a brief moment, in the peace and silence at the beginning of this fresh start, a day full of promise awaits.  What will you do with it?

Before rushing to begin that huge list of things you have to do today, stop for just a moment to decide Who you will take with you as you journey through this day.

Joshua 24:15 “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.  But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Why choose to serve the Lord?  He alone has made provision for us to live in right standing with Him in this life so that we can spend all of  eternity with Him in heaven.  He has proven Himself faithful in His promises to provide all that we need
in our day-to-day living, not just spiritual, but also emotional, physical, and financial.  He also longs to give us the desires of our heart.  What more could we want than all of this?
 
Hebrews 3:15 “As has just been said:  “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.””

To not make a concious decision is, by default, a choice to reject Him and the life of promise He wants to give you.

He’s waiting for you.  The decision is yours.  What choice will you make?

 
(For more information about forming a relationship with the Lord, see How You Can Find Him located at the top of this page.)