Cause Sometimes You Can Pick Just One....

  This summer my church is going through a sermon series about praying our emotions to God.  Our pastor has been preaching from the book of Psalms and then each week different members of the church have been sharing on our church blog different songs (our version of a modern day Psalm) and how/why those songs connect them to the heart of God.  Honestly at the beginning of summer I thought there was NO WAY I could pick just ONE song that did that.  I cannot sing to save my life, but I love music.  In fact on an average day I probably have anywhere from 10-20 songs that run through my head and have some sort of meaning to me.  To pick just one would be like having to decided which of my children I loved more (okay....so maybe it's not that drastic....and, well, I don't have any children....but... )!

  That being said, one song that I find myself connecting to time and time again is "Magnificent Obsession" by Steven Curtis Chapman.  If you've never heard it before here are the lyrics....

Lord, You know how much
I want to know so much
In the way of answers and explanations
I have cried and prayed
And still I seem to stay
In the middle of life’s complications
All this pursuing leaves me feeling like I’m chasing down the wind
But now it’s brought me back to You
And I can see again

This is everything I want
This is everything I need
I want this to be my one consuming passion
Everything my heart desires
Lord, I want it all to be for You, Jesus
Be my magnificent obsession

So capture my heart again
Take me to depths I’ve never been
Into the riches of Your grace and Your mercy
Return me to the cross
And let me be completely lost
In the wonder of the love
That You’ve shown me
Cut through these chains that tie me down to so many lesser things
Let all my dreams fall to the ground
Until this one remains

You are everything I want
You are everything I need
I want You to be my one consuming passion
Everything my heart desires
Lord, I want it all to be for You
I want it all to be for You

You are everything I want
And You are everything I need
Lord, You are all my heart desires
You are everything to me

  In a lot of ways this song reflects my relationship with God so well.  The more I grow in my faith, the more I seem to understand how this whole world...all of life...truly is about God.  And we were...I was... created to bring Him glory.  It's not about me at all....in fact it's ALL about Him! He is everything I need and I want Him to be all that I want.  Yet, if I were honest, there are so many times in life that I get weighed down by things that don't matter.  I find myself overwhelmed by questions and wanting to understand why things are the way they are.  Or I get wrapped up in what people think of me and/or trying to find my significance in this world.  And before I know it I've forgotten....He is everything I want, Everything I need!  Thankfully God always has a way of bringing me back to Him....and like the song says....I am able to see again!

  And I know that the word "Obsession" has such a bad connotation in our world....especially when it comes to something like Religion.  So often it seems like people...even Christians.... are cool with you "loving"  God up to a certain point.....just don't cross that line! But by definition, to be obsessed is to be "Influenced or controlled by a powerful force", and isn't that what God calls us to when we come to Him?!?  He SHOULD be our "Consuming passion", "all our hearts desire", "the one thing that remains"....at least that's the desire of my heart, and I guess that's why I connect with this song so much.  I can't help but pray "Lord be my Magnificent Obsession".