Obsession

David Crowder - Obsession

What can I do with my obsession
With the things I cannot see
Is there madness in my being?
Is it the wind that moves the trees?
Sometimes You're further than the moon;
Sometimes You're closer than my skin
And You surround me like a winter fog
You've come and burned me with a kiss

And my heart burns for You
And my heart burns... for You

And I'm so filthy with my sin
I carry pride like a disease
You know I'm stubborn, Lord, and I'm longing to be close
You burn me deeper than I know
And I feel lonely without hope
And I feel desperate without vision
You wrap around me like a winter coat
You come and free me like a bird

A cost-benefit analysis

Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) [...] is used in the assessment of whether a proposed project, programme or policy is worth doing, or to choose between several alternative ones. It involves comparing the total expected costs of each option against the total expected benefits, to see whether the benefits outweigh the costs, and by how much.
- Wikipedia 'Cost-benefit'

This week, my church is participating in two different missions: one, by the sea, and another, here. Our youth group is running the one here, so tonight at church, we saw a few more youthful faces than we usually do. At one point, the minister asked them why they were participating in the week's activities, especially as they were giving up a week of their holidays to do so:

One: "'Cause I love working with little children."
Another: "Because we can teach others about Christianity and inspire them."

Then, someone: "'Cause God's worth it."

'Cause God's worth it.

The answer really placed the 'cost' of giving up a week holiday in perspective. It made me wonder again about my attitude... how I've been counting cost above benefit lately.

What comfort can be found in this short phrase - God IS worth it.

Amen.

Struggling along, struggling strong

A few weeks ago, when I was going through a bit of a bad patch [haha, I’m always seeming to go through a bit of a bad patch, aren’t I?!??!], my lovely friend, Princess Sarah, smsed me a phrase of encouragement: “Fight strong.”

Not only did I enjoy the way she phrased this, but it also reminded me of the phrase:

“Be strong and courageous”

We’d both gone on a camp together last year, where this phrase had popped up quite frequently. The speaker had talked on Joshua, and he reminded us that at the beginning of Joshua, the Israelites are camping on the edge of the Promised Land, the seeming beginning of many glorious things which should fill them with much hope and longing, and yet God reminds them to be strong and courageous. Similarly we need to remember that we’re camping on the edge of eternity, and should be emboldened and strengthened by this...

Therefore I encourage you from another book of the Bible:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6).

Yay! God’s rooting for you! Be strong and courageous! Ride the fire.

[okay, the last bit isn’t in the Bible; it just sounded really cool ;) ]