Nothing without You

As the tears are still fresh on my face..."Take these hands and lift them up, for I have not the strength to praise You near enough. See, I have nothing, I have nothing without You. Take my voice and pour it out. Let it sing the songs of mercy I have found, for I have nothing, I have nothing without You. All my soul needs is all your love to cover me so all the world will see that I have nothing without You. Take my body and build it up. May it be broken as an offering of love. For I have nothing, I have nothing without You. All my soul needs is all Your love to cover me so all the world will see that I have nothing, but I love You, with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind and all the strength that I can find. Take my time here on this earth. Let it glorify all that You are worth. For I am nothing, I am nothing, without You." recorded by Bebo Norman, but also sung by me, to my King, when on my face, praying to the Lord of life and glory.
Sometimes I'm guilty of running in and out of the presence of Jehovah God. Last night I had the night off work because I had a training class in the afternoon. I was able to go to church, which is very rare on a Wednesday night. My son Joshua teaches 4th grade at Shockwave there at Central Church. Last night was the first time I've gotten to hear him teach children older than five years. And my niece's son, Grant, who is seven, whom I haven't seen in many years before last Sunday, also came with Joshua. It was a glorious night. God's blessings abound! So many sad people in America, when you talk about God's blessings, immediately think of money, successful business, good health, big homes, no troubles or hardships. It breaks my heart. But this is not the day for that discussion. I only want to say that God's blessings come in many forms, for He is a BIG GOD! The blessings that He has been giving to me have nothing to do with the prosperity gospel. His blessings on my life reach so far greater than that. Getting back to my point, after a wonderful, God-blessed night last night, I went to bed hardly even thanking Him for it. And I certainly didn't take the time to ask Him how I can give these blessings back to Him. I didn't thank Him enough, I didn't love Him enough, I didn't praise Him near enough. I didn't reflect on those blessings and seek His face on whom to pass them along. I didn't ask Him to start my day tomorrow in being a blessing to someone else. I didn't confirm to Him on just how very unworthy I am in all the ways He makes His face to shine upon me...and how often He reveals His glory to me! Oh how often I pray to know my Master more, and how often He answers that prayer, in ways exceeding abundantly more than I could ever ask or imagine! But oh how short I fall in remembering to thank Him. And I forget so often to ask Him to whom He has planned and wants to give me the honor and blessing of revealing Himself. Jesus doesn't reveal Himself to me and give me so much of Himself only for me to sit back and high-five with Him on just how much I know Him and know about Him, how much I see of Him and how closely He wants to be with me. My relationship with my heavenly Husband is very intimate, but He wants me to take that relationship, and share Him with others..those who don't know Him and even those who do. Not every child of His walks as closely to Him. It is only by His grace that I do. It is surely nothing of any merit of mine own. Do I ask Him to put those people in my path, knowing that He wants them to know the King that I serve, and to be told how much He loves them? How selfish it is of me to have been given a tremendously wonderful relationship with the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Lord of life and glory, and not want someone else to have the blessing of that same kind of relationship with Him. It's available! He's available! Do I make that known? Oh great God and Savior, it's why you leave me here on this earth! You have told me.."Feed My sheep, feed My lambs. Go and make disciples. Tell of the great and wonderful things the Lord has done for you". How often I fail you, my Master, my Friend!
Yes, there are times, like this morning, when I feel as if I never want to leave the place where I am, on my face, in the throneroom of Jehovah, Lord of heaven and earth! I want to linger there. I feel as if I just can't leave His presence! And yes, the Lord is with me always...all day, every day. And I pray to Him all throughout the day..like breathing in and breathing out. I commune with my Master and my Captain constantly. And I know that these prayers that I pray continually bring me into the presence of God. But I'm talking about the times that I get on my face, turn off Klove, tune all the other thoughts of the world out, and just BE...there with my Savior and my God. Prayers prayed with the aid of the Holy Spirit inside me. The prayers that start from heaven and go back up to Him...a sweet smelling aroma. The place where I praise His name. He is holy, holy, holy! He is worthy! The place where I confess my wicked sins. I agree with God about my sins. I lay them at the feet of Jesus and turn from them there. I pray and ask Him to make me broken bread and poured out wine for His glory.... crush me, break me, whatever it takes to make me into a woman after Your own heart. I am so unworthy, Lord, but I always was and always will be! I am nothing! And if I ever think that I am something, make me nothing, whatever it takes, so You can use me, Lord, for Your kingdom, honor and glory! Only glorify Your holy Name!!
"I love you, Lord. And I lift my voice, to worship You. Oh my soul rejoice!! Take joy my King, in what you hear. Let it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear."