Interceding Before the Throne

Ezekiel 17:6, 24 

And it grew and became a spreading vine of low [not Davidic] stature, whose branches turned [in submission] toward him, and its roots remained under and subject to him [the king of Babylon]; so it became a vine and brought forth branches and shot forth leafy twigs.

And all the trees of the field shall know (understand and realize) that I the Lord have brought low the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree flourish. I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.

I read these two verses and was immediately struck by what they imply as to what Christ has done for us and is doing for us daily at the throne of the Father. I journaled the following: 

I am a low branch, temporarily subject to certain matters of this world. But the promise I have in Christ is to be brought high. In Him. He has the victory; He is exalted. And He has secured my place in the heavenly courts. And what a marvel that is! The Great High Priest stands before the the throne of the Father and intercedes for me. Not only did He die for me, and raised me to life, but He lives ever to make intercession for me. Christ's death and resurrection were more than enough for me to never run out of praise for my King, but He is still accomplishing so much for me - DAILY. Not just every day that I live, but every day that He has lived at the right hand of the Father. That will always amaze me. 

The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. 
Hebrews 7:23-25 

Before the Throne 

Mary Did You Know

Time for another edition of Christmas Carols with Kate. 

I didn't hear this one until a couple of years ago; I have no idea who wrote it or when or who sang the original version, but I don't really care. I just love it! 

Mary Did You Know? 

Mary did you know that your baby boy would some day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you.

Mary did you know that your baby boy would give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when your kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God.

Oh Mary did you know

The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will walk again.
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding is the great I am

I love the cleverness of "This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you", and all of the Biblical references throughout the song about who Jesus is to us. The song so perfectly captures His human nature - a baby who would be kissed by HIs mother - and who He is as Sovereign Lord - ruler of the nations, heaven's perfect Lamb. 

I have always loved what Mary says to Elizabeth after they were both found to be pregnant:


And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷  and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹ for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
⁵⁰ And his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
⁵² he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    and exalted those of humble estate;
⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and the rich he has sent away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵ as he spoke to our fathers,
    to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” (Luke 1:46-55) 

Stay Stay Stay

So I'm packing, my packing playlists are always a little...special...ya know with Taylor Swift and Jamie Grace and DC Talk and Lecrae and Owl City and Big Daddy Weave and some other gems.

But I thought I'd take a minute to highlight my favorite Taylor Swift song of the new album, "Stay Stay Stay". I think it's super funny because that the beginning, she says that her and her guy had a fight and she threw her phone at him. Then the next morning, when they went to talk about it, he came in wearing a football helmet. Ha! He was prepared that time.

Stay, Stay, Stay

This is my favorite part

You took the time to memorize me my fears my hopes and dreams
I just like hanging out with you all the time
All those times that you didn't leave it's been occuring to me I would like to hang out with you for my whole life

I think it's super cute. 

The Less Fun Side of Being a Senior

I keep trying to edit my last big paper of the semester. 6 of 16 pages are done, but progress is slow.  I am slowly reformatting citations and checking for typos and adding certain sentences and deleting others. It's annoying. I have another minor paper that I need to finish (aka start). And I just bought books for spring 2013. I haven't bought books in a long time...since spring 2011 really (I don't count the $1 French novels for fall 2011), and that was expensive. Slightly less expensive than it could have been, thanks to amazon and kindle, but still.

I am also applying for three different kinds of jobs, and that's making my head spin. I am overqualified for the kind of job I need (seasonal employment...aka Boston Store) and under-qualified for the kind of job I want (my grown up post grad job). In between that is trying to find a campus job, which is annoying because Beloit does a fail job of keeping that section of the website up to date; I email for an application and find the position has already been filled. Ugh.

It would help if I knew what kind of job I wanted. I have applied to Frontline Missions, Samaritan's Purse, World Vision, and various publishers. I feel like I'm grasping at thin air.

I want to go back to village life, when everything was simple.

Joy to the World

Even though I start regularly listening to Christmas music in October (and really, you can always count on hearing the occasional carol from my itunes throughout the year), I have respectfully waited until just one month out from Christmas to start talking about my favorite Christmas songs. I know the "December 1st" people will be upset, but the "first snow", "after Thanksgiving" and "one month" guidelines have all been met so boo on you. 

I have loved Joy to the World for as long as I can remember. It's been a favorite for a long time, and I got to sing it tonight with a lovely family...and snow on the ground! Just a little, but still. 

Joy to the World

1. Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
   Let earth receive her King;
   Let every heart prepare Him room,
   And heav’n and nature sing,
   And heav’n and nature sing,
   And heav’n, and heav’n, and nature sing.
2. Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
   Let men their songs employ;
   While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
   Repeat the sounding joy,
   Repeat the sounding joy,
   Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
3. No more let sins and sorrows grow,
   Nor thorns infest the ground;
   He comes to make His blessings flow
   Far as the curse is found,
   Far as the curse is found,
   Far as, far as, the curse is found.
4. He rules the world with truth and grace,
   And makes the nations prove
   The glories of His righteousness,
   And wonders of His love,
   And wonders of His love,
   And wonders, wonders, of His love.

I Am Free

Pastor Richard Wurmbrand spoke of Jesus in Communist Romania, and paid dearly for it. He spent 14 years in prison, being tortured on a regular basis. He lived in silence, with no books and nothing to write with, not even a cellmate to talk to. He composed over 300 sermons while in prison, committing them to memory using rhymes and other memorization strategies. He spent his first hours after being released just writing them all down so he would not forget.

Richard Wurmbrand also wrote a number of books. I am reading Alone With God, and he shares his thoughts from his cell. In one breath taking line, he talks about freedom:

I do not desire to be free. I am free.

That blew me away. Here is a man with no freedom - he doesn't get to make any choices except what goes through his mind, and he is at the mercy of his torturers. And yet, he is so sure of who God is and what Christ has done, that even in a Communist prison, he can say, "I am free"

Why Don't I Call?

I spend a lot of time not at home, and this year, a lot of time not at school. I have friends and family that I love. I like when they call me and we talk. It's nice. But I rarely just pick up the phone and call someone.

I have an idea or two as to why.

The first is that I am not a gifted conversationalist. I sit there and well, just sit. I often reach for something to say, even in person, so the phone amplifies my problems. For me, it's enough just to be with someone, which doesn't work so well over the phone.

The second is that I like knowing people are there but it is enough just to know they exist. My dad, mom, sister, friends, aunts/uncles, grandparents...I like knowing they're there. And again, if they call me, we talk, and it's nice.

The third reason is maybe just my age. I like spending time in different environments with different people figuring out what I think about what's going on in my life and the world I'm living in. Sometimes hearing familiar voices makes me seek their approval in a way that's not necessarily healthy. I change what I think to fit what I think they want me to say. I'm a pleaser.

So...if knowing I exist is not enough for you, it's ok to call, but I probably won't call you unless expressly asked. I like floating in and out of places right now - checking in, hugging, staying up late talking, and then packing up for what's next. Maybe that'll change, maybe it will have to, but I like my life right now.