Worth It All

There are times in my life that I have to really, really examine my heart and take a deep look at where I am in my relationship with Jesus before I can even think about singing certain songs. Some songs are easy to lead and sing and some are harder...I am not talking about the key of the song or the timing I am talking about the words....About 2 weeks ago my pastor John Johnson and I were working on the new series "God's Not Fair, Get Used To It" and he said I have a song I want you to do for this series "Worth It All" by Rita Springer....so I told him I would take a look at it and sure enough that is what I did and to my surprise I had never heard this song before but instantly loved it. So I downloaded it and began to work on the song learning the key and the words and before I knew it this song consumed me. Over the last 2 weeks I have listened to this song more than I have listened to any other song I have ever lead in a worship set.

You say what's different about this song? Well it's one of those songs that I had to take a long hard look into my soul and make for sure that I could live out loud the words I would be singing. I really would have a hard time singing a song I didn't know if I could live up to....when I read the words to the verse they were so easy to sing and believe cause, I don't understand God's ways, which He told us in His word we wouldn't He says, "...your ways are not My ways." Isaiah 55:8 - So that's a given - and I know that He holds on to all my pain and is using my life experiences to pull me closer into His ways....so here's the part that got me..."I'm not looking for crowns or the water from fountains I'm desp'rate in seeking frantic believing that the sight of Your face is all that I'm needing" I had to really put some thoughts and prayers into these words and say to Jesus "is it really YOU I am after or is it rewards and treasures and blessings and am I desperately seeking and frantic believing that the sight of Your Face is all that I'm needing?"

There were times when I had to say no way am I desperate enough and frantic enough - man that's powerful words....so I was not sure when I introduced this song to the band that I could really sing it from the depth of my heart....oh BUT God! He came to my assistance and helped me see that I am desperate for Him and I do frantically believe that He is all I am needing. And because He assured me I could sing this song with my very soul I believe that when we lead this song yesterday that He was there holding my hand and saying "this is my child, singing for ME"

I have one last thing I want to share about this song...as I was singing yesterday I was so blessed to have a visual of something I saw on Friday night - Friday nights at the Loft there is a group of people that get together and worship and pray. This meeting is called OHOP (Oxford House Of Prayer) - Fridays at 7 - everyone is welcome....I don't go every week in fact I haven't been faithful to this at all. Oh I want to but just haven't settled into really committing myself to this cause. OHOP has been meeting in the library at the Loft and has now outgrown that area so this past Friday they moved into the auditorium...well about 7:20 I got a call from one of the leaders and they were having some technical issues with the sound system so I quickly headed to the Loft to see what could be wrong and as I was in the sound booth I looked out over the worship that was going on and just sat there for a minute thinking these people are so hungry for God...I could only see them from the back and I really wanted to stay cause I knew God was there but I had to leave for other obligations....but here's the cool thing as I was singing Worth It All on Sunday during the 10:00 celebration I could see this group of desperate people worshipping but it wasn't from the sound booth I could see them face to face I could tell you where they stood, what they were doing, how they were worshipping and as I questioned God later about why I had that vision He said cause those are my kids desperately seeking ME....

I felt very blessed and very proud that Cobblestone has this amazing ministry that I believe God is going to use to change our city, our church, our homes, and our very lives....We are working hard to bring live worship every week to OHOP and working towards a once a month Friday Night off the charts crazy worship experience - so please join me in praying that God would work out the details and by late summer early fall we can have this polished and in place....

My friends I pray each one of you become desperate and frantic to have a deeper relationship with Jesus I pray I become so desperate for Him that nothing can stop me from seeing His Face....

see you in worship this Sunday when we will be singing this song again - wonder what God will show up and do this Sunday?

Worth It All
I don't understand Your ways
Oh but I will give You my song
I'll give You all of my praise
You hold on to all my pain
And with it You are pulling me closer
And pulling me into Your ways

Now around ev'ry corner
And up ev'ry mountain
I'm not looking for crowns
Or the water from fountains
I'm desp'rate in seeking
Frantic believing
That the sight of Your face
Is all that I'm needing
I will say to You

It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it all
I believe this

It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it
It's gonna be worth it all

You're gonna be worth it
You're gonna be worth it
You're gonna be worth it all
I believe this

You're gonna be worth it
You're gonna be worth it
You're gonna be worth it all
This I know