During worship on a recent Sunday morning, we sang "What A Beautiful Name It Is" (link below). As we sang the lines "You didn't want heaven without us / So Jesus, You brought heaven down", a picture came to me. In my mind's eye I saw the "J" in Jesus in the form of a hook as on a tow truck hanging down, with an open invitation to grab hold and be lifted up. I thought of James 4:10, "...Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up." And I thought of the song, "Humble Thyself In The Sight Of The Lord" (link below). To my understanding, humbling myself before the Lord may be as simple as admitting that I need help in the midst of a culture that encourages self-sufficiency. It may also mean admitting I messed things up by trying to do "it" on my own, only to realize that I am the branch and Jesus is the vine, apart from Him I can't do anything of worth.
We all need a little lift from time to time. It helps to have friends and family to encourage us and lift our spirits. At other times, however, we need more. Kari Jobe expresses this well in her song, "Everyone Needs a Little". The lyrics begin with Jesus' invitation for all who are weary and broken to "come", and the chorus expresses that everyone needs a little infusion of peace, rest, joy, hope, & love, then moving to the promise that He will lift you up "higher than sorrow" and "cover your soul with healing". The words in each of these songs bring the hope of improved quality of life, even in the midst of whatever seeks to pull us down. In the same way as Jesus calmed the storm when his disciples were fearful, He can calm our inner storms. Instead of listening to the chaos of the world around us, we need to take a break and listen to the peace-bearing promises of Jesus like the songs linked below.
"What A Beautiful Name It Is" -- Hillsong Worship
www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5L6QlAH3L4
"Humble Thyself In The Sight Of The Lord" -- Maranatha Kids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXIizmMWlUo
Everyone needs a little w/ lyrics ( Kari Jobe ).wmv - YouTube