The Altar and the Door

As most of you know I enjoy listening to music and this week Casting Crown’s The Altar and the Door’s lyrics caught my attention.  (I have actually listened to this song at least 25 times before writing this; in fact I am listening as I am writing!)

Here are the lyrics: Click the link to listen as you read this.

"The Altar And The Door"

Casting Crowns written by Mark Hall

Careless, I am reckless
I’m a wrong-way-travelin’-slowly-unraveling shell of a man
Burnt out, I’m so numb now
That the fire’s just an ember way down in the corner of my cold, cold heart

Lord, this time I’ll make it right, here at the altar I lay my life
Your kingdom come but my will was done, my heart is broken as I...

Cry, like so many times before
But my eyes are dry before I leave the floor, oh Lord
I try but this time, Jesus, how can I be sure I will not lose my follow through
Between the altar and the door

Here at the altar, oh my world so black and white
How could I ever falter
What You’ve shown me to be right

I’m trying so hard to stop trying so hard
Just let You be who You are
Lord, who You are in me
Jesus, I’m trying so hard to stop trying so hard
Just let You be who You are
Lord, who You are in me

Romans 7:15-20 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. ¹⁶ And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. ¹⁷ As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸ For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

This song talks about the times that we have given ourselves to the service of the Lord, but have always fallen short.  I can tell you that during my walk with the Lord, this has happen to me.  You see I have a tendency to walk away from things that seem difficult or I am in disagreement with.  I would not let Jesus be Jesus and work in me.

Well several years ago I was like the line: Careless, I am reckless
I'm a wrong-way-travelin'-slowly-unraveling shell of a man
Burnt out, I'm so numb now

Isaiah 53:6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

I knew I had to get back to the “altar” and let God lead me again.  But I was also afraid that I would lose my follow through.  So I prayed that this time God would use me and not let me lose it. Because I knew, like the lyrics say: That the fire's just an ember way down in the corner of my cold, cold heart.

Ephesians 6:7-10 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, ⁸ because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.  ⁹ And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. ¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

You see I probably wanted to serve God for my own purpose and on my own terms.  I kind of knew this. So this time I prayed that God would use me for His purpose and not mine.  Well that was about 4 years ago, just before I started this ministry and it has been a true blessing.  I constantly get encouragement from all sources, including music.  So is that a coincidence?  Again, like I have said many times, I do not believe coincidences.  It is all a God thing.  So like the encouragement of this song, God has helped me to follow through.  He can help you follow through with your walk in life as well, but you must have the right heart.  Like the song says: 

I’m trying so hard to stop trying so hard
Just let You be who You are
Lord, who You are in me
Jesus, I’m trying so hard to stop trying so hard
Just let You be who You are
Lord, who You are in me

 

Mark 9:23-24 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”  ²⁴ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Oh yeah, I listened to this song 6 times as I wrote this!  Now you know how this as touched me. I want you to listen to this as well. The Altar and The Door message.