Come and listen

As my grandfather clock chimes and painfully brings me aware of the hour, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the air...I am reminded that I'm officially "back in school." And I'm sadly reminded that the 20-something procrastinating girl pursing a computer science degree is the same almost 30-something procrastinating girl pursing an urban youth ministry certificate, at least in the procrastination department. This is precisely why I'm pausing long enough to write this post. But in my defense...when God gives you something worth sharing...share...

God ministers to me through music. He'll lay a song on my heart...and I'll find myself compelled to play that single song on repeat during a particular phase/issue of my life. This might last a few days, it might last a few weeks. For whatever reason, when I sat down last night to dive into my schoolwork, Come and Listen by the David Crowder Band became the solitaire song that would march me through this round of studies. iTunes...repeat...the song faintly serenades me in the background.

"Come and listen...come to the water's edge all you who know and fear the Lord...come and listen...come to the water's edge all you who are thirsty...come....let me tell you what He has done for me...let me tell you what He has done for me...He has done for you...He has done for us."

I have heard those lyrics 100 times by now.

But in the midst of my studies...as I'm reading the assigned book, Deep Justice in a Broken World, I learn the common mistake youth ministries make as they try to inspire service among their youth. Often times they error on the side of guilt, by trying to inspire service through our responsibility to God. Other times they error on the side of grace...which has led youth to maintain status quo, feeling good about themselves, but taking little action to seek justice for others.

As I read a little further...I paused..."As kingdom followers, we don't right wrongs out of duty, or out of our destined-to-fail attempts to earn our salvation. We right wrongs because of all God has done for us."

Immediately the lyrics of the song playing in the background infiltrated the room..."He has done for me...He has done for you...He has done for us." In that moment it clicked. Why am I so in love with Jesus Christ? Why have I laid down my life to serve him...joyfully? Why do I want to right every wrong he places before me?

It's simple...because I know what He did for me...what He did for you...what He did for us. I know what He's still doing in me.