I've fallen in love with the music of Andrew Peterson and his album "Counting Stars." It feel like it is speaking of where I am... and all that good stuff... not to mention being the sound I love with uplifting-Godly lyrics... Also, last track I found the song "dancing in the minefields" and it was beautiful and turns out to be my Andrew Peterson!
Also I have been captivated by these verses:
"To whom will you compare me? or who is my equal?"says the Holy One.
Lift your eyes and look to the heavens; who created all these?
He brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name.
Because of HIs great power and mighty strength, no one of them is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, "my way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God?"
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the end of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
-Isaiah 40:25-31
What really gets me is the first part, about how because of God calling each start out by name it is there and not lost. God knows each star's name. To me that is crazy. Because I may not be outside much in the daytime, but I know the stars. I see them for most of my day. I marvel at how many of them there are, how beautiful each one is. And God calls each one out by name...
This God, who cares about the stars, who made each one, is the God who made me. He made everything in the world and still He cares about each star, and He cares about me. The Creator of the universe created so much, yet, He still cares about each detail in my life.
And I think how sweet He is--how the stars remind me of His love. Long before I read this passage in Isaiah, when I was down or doubting, I would go outside and look at the stars. I remember, on some of the very worst nights when I needed something I would go outside and there would be all these clouds... and suddenly one little star would peak out and I would remember... I would remember that God loves me and He cares.
It also figures that one of my very favorite lines from a Switchfoot so is:
"When I look at the stars I see someone else, when I look at the stars I feel like myself."
I have that line written on my converse and it reminds me that there is hope even in the darkest day and the longest night...
I have been talking with a dear friend of mine, and once again I have been reminded what is important in life. For the past couple of days I have been in a constant struggle with myself, worrying about what will come next in life and what is the next thing for me to "do" with my life...
And I have just stopped and been quiet and remember.... He just wants me to live my life to Love Him. It is not about the great ministry that I create and all that I accomplish in the name of God, it is about quite peace and love. He really wants a relationship with me. He wants to touch my heart with the stars and sing sweet songs over me... but when I am so consumed about what I am going to be "doing" and I forget to find Him. I become a worker and not a lover. And He has called me to be a lover, first of Him and then of people... and that is worthy of my life.
I will gladly spend my life Loving God and looking at the stars. I will gladly live a life where I love people with the Love of God. I am tired running around missing the point and checking things off my "to do" list. I want to live in a constant place of fellowship and love with God.
To take the silence of the night and rejoice in the Lord, to dwell in His love and trust Him with what I should do. So that my "doing" will come from a place of "being" with Him.
"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit upon him and he will bring justice to the nations.
He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope."
This is what God the Lord says-- he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people and life to those who walk on it:
"I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep your and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness." -Isaiah 42:1-7
I love these verses. they give me comfort and hope, that my God is the one who does not break the bruised reeds, those of us who are so broken and downtrodden. He comes and He cares for each broken heart, He come and gives hope and comfort to those who feel like they cannot go one... He does not snuff out the dim light, the one who is about to give up, no He gives strength to the weak knees and says to even the dullest and the weakest-- I love you. There is hope. I will be your strength, but call upon me and I will be there for you. This is the One who holds me heart. This is the One that I am living for.
This is the One who calls out the stars and reminds me of Hope on dark nights.
This is why the stars speak, they speak of His love and His tender care.
Thank you God, that I have one like you, who never fails and never gives up.
