What if you're right?
And he was just another nice guy
What if you're right?
What if it's true?
They say the cross will only make a fool of you
And what if it's true?
The kids and I were coming home from the library yesterday after story hour.
Lauren asked, as she always does, "Will you turn on some music, Mama?
I flipped on the radio. Nicole Nordeman joined us and performed What If for an audience of six. I sang along with her but not very well because I always get a lump in my throat over the lyrics.
What if he takes his place in history
With all the prophets and the kings
Who taught us love and came in peace
But then the story ends
What then?
She sings my story in these words. In college, I let go of my childhood faith and embraced tolerance and enlightenment. Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha...all equal...all historical figures. I saw spiritual people as basically good...all on the path to eternal bliss.
What if you dig
Way down deeper than your simple-minded friends
What if you dig
What if you find
A thousand more unanswered questions down inside
That's all you find
What if you pick apart the logic
And begin to poke the holes
What if the crown of thorns is no more than fokelore that must be told
And retold
"Maybe", I thought, "there is not a personal god but a god who created the world and left us to our own devices." I thought Christians were narrow minded and lived narrow, judgemental lives.
Cause you've been running as fast as you can
You've been looking for a place you can land
For so long
But what if you're wrong
But then John was born and I dared to search for more. I dared to put aside my preconceptions and look objectively for truth. I was astounded by the logic and practicality of Christianity. The more I read the Bible the more I found that the truth began to chip away at my skepticism and reshape my thinking. I dared to choose One whom I would follow. I dared say there is but One way to heaven. Because I dared, restlessness was replaced with peace. Uncertainty, with a sense of confidence. Not confidence in myself but in my Savior.
The idea behind the song lyrics was repeated again at the lunch table. We nibbled our Keebler Elf cookies (The elves seem to have gone through a growth spurt. Has anyone else noticed this?) and read Luke 9:28-36. Peter saw Jesus, Moses and Elijah as glorious radiant beings and was filled with the compulsive need to comment.
"Let us put up three shelters-one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."
I have always thought of the tabernacles simply as tents and have seen Peter's words as simply foolish. God showed me (through the study of this commentary and research on the meaning of shelter translated from the Greek word skēnē ) the seriousness of Peter's words. He did not mean tents. He meant houses of worship! Oh, Peter! He saw Jesus, Moses and Elijah as equals. I think this understanding of the word shelter is accurate given the way God responds in verse 35 to Peter's words. "This is my son..."
The search continues in countless lives. The voices of Islam...Buddhism... New Age...Mormonism... Scientology...Agnosticism...Atheism... call to those searching for truth. So many voices. But God says of Jesus alone, "This is my son...listen to Him."
But what if you're wrong?
What if there's more?
What if there's hope you never dreamed of hoping for?
What if you jump?
And just close your eyes?
What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?
What if He's more than enough?
What if it's love?
*******
And he was just another nice guy
What if you're right?
What if it's true?
They say the cross will only make a fool of you
And what if it's true?
The kids and I were coming home from the library yesterday after story hour.
Lauren asked, as she always does, "Will you turn on some music, Mama?
I flipped on the radio. Nicole Nordeman joined us and performed What If for an audience of six. I sang along with her but not very well because I always get a lump in my throat over the lyrics.
What if he takes his place in history
With all the prophets and the kings
Who taught us love and came in peace
But then the story ends
What then?
She sings my story in these words. In college, I let go of my childhood faith and embraced tolerance and enlightenment. Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha...all equal...all historical figures. I saw spiritual people as basically good...all on the path to eternal bliss.
What if you dig
Way down deeper than your simple-minded friends
What if you dig
What if you find
A thousand more unanswered questions down inside
That's all you find
What if you pick apart the logic
And begin to poke the holes
What if the crown of thorns is no more than fokelore that must be told
And retold
"Maybe", I thought, "there is not a personal god but a god who created the world and left us to our own devices." I thought Christians were narrow minded and lived narrow, judgemental lives.
Cause you've been running as fast as you can
You've been looking for a place you can land
For so long
But what if you're wrong
But then John was born and I dared to search for more. I dared to put aside my preconceptions and look objectively for truth. I was astounded by the logic and practicality of Christianity. The more I read the Bible the more I found that the truth began to chip away at my skepticism and reshape my thinking. I dared to choose One whom I would follow. I dared say there is but One way to heaven. Because I dared, restlessness was replaced with peace. Uncertainty, with a sense of confidence. Not confidence in myself but in my Savior.
The idea behind the song lyrics was repeated again at the lunch table. We nibbled our Keebler Elf cookies (The elves seem to have gone through a growth spurt. Has anyone else noticed this?) and read Luke 9:28-36. Peter saw Jesus, Moses and Elijah as glorious radiant beings and was filled with the compulsive need to comment.
"Let us put up three shelters-one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."
I have always thought of the tabernacles simply as tents and have seen Peter's words as simply foolish. God showed me (through the study of this commentary and research on the meaning of shelter translated from the Greek word skēnē ) the seriousness of Peter's words. He did not mean tents. He meant houses of worship! Oh, Peter! He saw Jesus, Moses and Elijah as equals. I think this understanding of the word shelter is accurate given the way God responds in verse 35 to Peter's words. "This is my son..."
The search continues in countless lives. The voices of Islam...Buddhism... New Age...Mormonism... Scientology...Agnosticism...Atheism... call to those searching for truth. So many voices. But God says of Jesus alone, "This is my son...listen to Him."
But what if you're wrong?
What if there's more?
What if there's hope you never dreamed of hoping for?
What if you jump?
And just close your eyes?
What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?
What if He's more than enough?
What if it's love?
*******
Comments
Love you!
Ang
That blessed me so much. I sit with tears in my eyes thanking God that you are my sister in Christ. Thanks for the fresh word today.
Love you, stephanie.