sunday setlist devotional 10.16.11

made me glad - miriam webster
mighty to save - reuben morgan, ben fielding
you'll come - brooke fraser
our god - chris tomlin

We all make promises. Most all of the time, from the very bottom of our hearts, we intend to keep them. However, it's an inevitable fact of life that there will be times we end up disappointing others. Surprised? Welcome to humanity.

My church, newhope, recently established a campus that meets weekly at the North Carolina Correctional Institute for Women in Raleigh. As one of the worship leaders for newhope, my husband Dustin helps to schedule and coordinate the services and worship for each time the women meet. He has also volunteered himself to serve with this ministry once a month and has asked me to lead worship alongside him on a regular rotation. My answer, of course, was yes. Who wouldn't seize the incredible opportunity not only to reach out to women from all sorts of walks, but with their spouse at the same time?

It wasn't until the day before the service that I had realized a) my work week had more in store for me than I had originally planned, meaning I would not be able to get off early b) the service at the prison, which is 30-45 minutes away, would start at 6:30 pm while I typically get off work at 6:00 pm and c) even if I raced with the speed of God's angels to Raleigh, the guards probably would not let me in past 6:00 pm.

Let me be the first to say that this was a mistake of my own causing - a failure to review my schedule for the upcoming week. And the disappointment I felt in myself completely reflected that! I had promised my husband that I would attend with him, and confirmed it multiple times - yet here I was the very day before with the inability to follow through.

This week, I'm scheduled to serve in our coffeehouse style worship service, and our set list (listed above) completely spoke to the pain I felt in letting down someone as important to me as my husband and, more importantly, my God.  Considering the lyrics and scriptural basis behind each song reminded me that as humans, we so often fall short of our promises not only to our loved ones, but also to our Father in Heaven.  How many times have we resolved that we would never say another curse word, never think another resentful thought about a family member, or act out of jealousy toward someone?  I would offer that the answer is "many times." And yet "many times" have we also failed in such endeavors.

The incredible thing is that although our heart and flesh may fail, God never will (Psalm 73:26).  That truth resounds deeply within my spirit and reminds me of His everlasting faithfulness.  Our efforts will never measure up, but God's steadfastness shows unequaled.  Should you choose to take notice, His promises are renewed daily (Lamentations 3:23).

Let me share with you some snippets of the lyrics that really stuck with me:

"As surely as the sun will rise
You'll come to us
As certain as Your word endures..."

"So take me as you find me
All my fears and failures;
Fill my life again..."

"He has delivered me from all fear
He has set my feet upon a rock..."

"Into the darkness You shine
Out of the ashes we rise
There's no one like You
None like You..."

God's enduring promise is to restore us through His splendor and His son, Jesus Christ.  Despite our brokenness and our inequities, He will deliver us from our pain and see us through to a glorious end.

- Emily