There are times when we have to grab joy and cling for all we are worth to JOY. It is our birthright as Children of God. Jesus said he came that we might have joy and have it to the full. So, we will be doing some of that on this journey…for sure.
First, let’s follow up on our previous assignments:
- Have you memorized your statement(s) and or verse(s)?
- Have you been taking your negative, defeated thoughts captive and replacing them with the true statements?
- Have you created a song for extra credit? 🙂 Have you shared it? 🙂
- Have you begun to gather your traveling supplies? You still have another day to do so! (Well, actually any time is ok!)
If you haven’t done all of these things or any of them, it’s ok…but if we want transformation, we have to be willing to take action steps and these things may be just the ticket to prepare the way for transformation. Is it worth a try? I think so!
One of the reasons I want you to have an mp3 player of some kind is so that I can tell you about some of the music that speaks truth into my heart. You know, there is something about music. It gets stuck in our head like nothing else. Who gets just a spoken phrase stuck in their head? Add music to it, though, and we can’t seem to shake it. We can use this tendency to our advantage, to bathe our minds with truth.
The following song, I have chosen as our “Traveling Song.” See a video of it below, and below that are the words to “I Lay Me Down” which is available on the Burning Lights album by Chris Tomlin.
Here are the words–you might want to take some time to turn these words into a prayer:
“Lay Me Down”
With this heart open wide
From the depths from the heights
I will bring a sacrifice
With these hands lifted high
Hear my song, hear my cry
I will bring a sacrifice
I will bring a sacrifice
[Chorus:]
I lay me down I’m not my own
I belong to you alone
Lay me down, lay me down
Hand on my heart this much is true
There’s no life apart from you
Lay me down, lay me down
Lay me down, lay me down
Letting go of my pride
Giving up all my rights
Take this life and let it shine
Take this life and let it shine
[Chorus:]
I lay me down I’m not my own
I belong to you alone
Lay me down, lay me down
Hand on my heart this much is true
There’s no life apart from you
Lay me down, lay me down
Lay me down, lay me down
[Bridge:]
It will be my joy to say Your will Your way
It will be my joy to say Your will Your way
It will be my joy to say Your will Your way always
[Chorus:]
I lay me down I’m not my own
I belong to you alone
Lay me down, lay me down
Hand on my heart this much is true
There’s no life apart from you
Lay me down, lay me down
Lay me down, lay me down
What do you think of the declaration of this song…the words that say “I lay me down I’m not my own, I belong to you alone…”?
What do you think about the declaration: “It will be my joy to say your will your way”?
These thoughts, this resolve, this commitment is vital to our cause to live differently in the face of our trial. We will find out more about why and the impact it has on our lives and our resolve as we continue.
ASSIGNMENT:
1. By Monday, get this song on your mp3 player (here is the link for Amazon and here is iTunes). Or just keep this page handy. Listen to this song ten times until you can sing it…and then let it bathe your mind with the declaration again and again as you find it impossible to get it out of your head. Ask God to make it be your heart’s deepest desire to lay yourself down, to live as one who belongs to Him alone, to find your greatest joy in saying and living “Your will, Your way, Father!”
2. Share with us here what you think about this or how God uses it in your life. <–Please know that this form of “community” and accountability can be very helpful. Give it a try, ok?