Siestas! Greetings from Atlanta!
First and foremost, I want to say a big thank-you to the many of you who took the time to submit your tried and true recipes to this greedy siesta! They were all wonderful, and I can honestly say that I have tried more than a few already. I believe it was āWarm in Alaskaā who submitted the recipe for the roasted sweet potatoes, please correct me if I am wrong. Wow! Who would ever believe that fresh rosemary and crushed red pepper could transform a sweet potato into something heavenly??!!! They were unrealā¦and to be true to myself, I also had to add a few garlic cloves in the mix. Wonderful, I really could go on and on, but I will stop, for all of your sakes.
I am not sure if I informed you siestas that since I moved to Atlanta, I now work from home. This has brought about quite a few challenges, not the least of which is that I really miss the camaraderie that I have in my co-workers at Living Proof. Well, I have embraced this season of change from the hand of the living God and so have my mind set on staying positive about the minor difficulties. This has been quite difficult since about a month ago, not one but two of my computers were stolen, and then after losing an entire month of work, my brand new printer completely broke down. Now you can see why I am attracted to the kitchen as of late, since apparently my home office has some kind of demon. ļ I am seriously not exaggerating and this morning I woke up with such intense ambition to tackle my work day with both hands. Well, my BRAND NEW AND PRICEY computer apparently was not ready to wake up, because it honestly took an hour and a half to start the stupid thing. Well, as you can see, I did finally get the computer working, but as for my good attitude, it was completely shot out the window. I realized, after calling my Mom and vomiting my discouragement all over her at 8:30 in the morning, that something was going to have to happen or I was going to be a foul person to be around today.
The good news is that I know what almost always obliterates my bad attitude. This may sound silly, but when I know that I am inconsolable, I listen to the song āBefore the Throne of God Aboveā about three or four times, or however many times it takes to change my bad attitude. I happen to listen to Selahās version from the album āHiding Placeā but I am sure that there are many good versions of it since it was written in the mid-late 1800ās (written by Charitie Less Bancroft).
To use South Beach Diet jargon, these lyrics are not just white bread; these lyrics contain whole, unprocessed oats. I am humiliated by the metaphor I carved, but I mean seriously these lyrics are heavily saturated with great theological truths. Take a minute to read through them if you will:
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great High Priest whose name is love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hands
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me
Behold Him there! The risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless, Righteousness
The Great unchangeable I AM
The King of Glory and of Grace
One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God
With Christ my Savior and my God
By the time I get to the third verse in this blessed song (āBehold Him there! The risen Lambā), I can barely fight the tears back. My mind is always drawn immediately back to the vision that John sees in the book of Revelation of the risen Christ! If I could, I would take all day to break down the many wonderful theological truths that are offered in this song, but since we donāt have all day, I just want to record three of my favorite ones. To begin, the first verse presents Jesus very similarly to the way the book of Hebrews does, as our great high priest who is ever interceding for us. What could be better than that, I ask you? Next, the second verse reminds us of the great doctrine of imputed righteousness- namely, that when sinful man truly acknowledges Christās lordship and places faith in Him, that immediately the righteousness of Christ is transferred to his or her account. Truly, one of the major scandals of the gospel message is that just as Adamās sin is imputed to every human being, Christās righteousness is imputed to every believer and subsequently they are being changed into his likeness (Rom. 5:12; 2 Cor. 3:18). What great news! Especially when I have been cursing the computer all morning long!
Lastly, the third verse lifts our eyes to focus once again on the unchangeable I AM, who is equated with the person of Jesus Christ, I might add. Okay, now that weāve gotten to end of this, there is just one more theological truth I have to mention- our union with Christ Himself! This is one of my favorite doctrines ever! Romans chapter 6 is one of the main biblical sources that we derive this doctrine. I encourage you to read it today, it is just awesome. Our lives are hidden with Christ on high, and we have the privilege of identifying with Him in His life, death, and His resurrection. In a very real way, ladies, we not only died with Christ but the text says we were raised with Him in His glorious resurrection. Our lives are hidden with Him until the future age when we will reign with Him forever in the new creation.
Oh Siestas, take a moment with me to forget about flawed computers and broken printers and behold Him there! The risen Lamb! Our perfect spotless Righteousness! The Great Unchangeable I AM! THE KING OF GLORY AND OF GRACE!
Hi Melissa!
I have been blessed by that song too lately-Selah is my favorite also. I know every word-talk about doctrine! Chris Rice also has a great version-but I can’t sing with it because there’s too many harmonies-it’s greatly soothing and beautiful to listen to though! Thanks for sharing-Love, Angela
Amen Sister! The part of the song that gets me is “To look on Him and pardon me.” And of course, it’s repeated twice for emphasis! Praise His Name! Shane & Shane do an awesome version too. Hang in there Siesta- you are dearly loved! Kim in PA
Thanks Melissa, I am going to copy these words. We all need to hear encouragement in this crazy world.
Glad you have a new computer.Mabye it likes to sleep in. Ha Ha!!
Melissa in NC
Welcome to Atlanta!
Glory!!!
Melissa, I can empathize…my sis posted yesterday about my recent move to TX from TN. It’s an adjustment, but there is comfort and confidence in knowing the Lord’s design for this season of our lives. You wrote out my feelings exactly…I thought there were so few who were experiencing that level of separation from family. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of our Lord!! Praying for you.
Love the version from Steve & Vicki Cook. You might enjoy it too.
Melissa, As worship leader I just introduced this song to my church this week! I first heard it sang by Rescue and then by Selah. Both groups do a wonderful job on it. The words that say “my name is graven on his hands, my name is written on his heart” touch my soul so much! Thank you for bringing it to our attention!
Melissa, you have no idea how God has used your comments to bring deeper freedom, especially in Romans 6. I’m still shaking my head in amazement! Thanks for being such a deep godly young woman! I finish a 30 year teaching career tomorrow and the very next day I get to hear your mom in Boise. I think God had a very sweet retirement present for me in the timing of her coming here. Thanks for all you and your family are doing to bring even more freedom to former captives!!
Melissa thank you I needed this having a really hard time with my fourteen year old son being so rebellious at the moment. I’m the only one saved in my house besides my four kids and I feel alone like Hello Lord remember ME!
Glad your computer is working, My husband still owes me one for the fall when I got back for Nursing pre-reqs.
God Bless,
Love,
Sue-La
DEAREST MELISSA,
THIS MAY BE TOO LATE TO POST, OK BY ME, I JUST WANT YOU TO SEE THIS, IF YOU CAN CONQUER YOURSELF ALONE AT HOME YOU CAN DO ANYTHING. MAY THE LORD POUR GRACE ALL OVER YOU (THAT IS ALSO ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONG NEVER HEAR IT WITHOUT TEARS AND REPENTANCE) SHALOM
What beautiful and powerful words, Melissa! I just love the words to that song! I’m sorry you had trouble with your computer but if that is what it took for this post to come to be, then Praise God because I needed it!!
Blessings and love to all of you!
OH…my heart
Melissa,
I almost woke up my napping two year old a hearty shout of “Amen” and “Halleujah”!!!! I have the words of “Before the Throne of God” written on the inside cover of my Bible, and our church sings it often as part of our worship. You are right, it is a “meaty” song!
Also, I have been reading in my quiet time and thinking about the Corinthians passage you mentioned, “being changed from glory to glory”! OOps, there I go again, about to wake the baby up!
Melissa, I’ve been listening to Selah hymns and songs on my iPod since reading your post and have been humbled and blessed.
There’s a line of another song sung by Selah that gets me every time and I just had to share:
The song “All My Praise” talks about praising God through the good and the difficult; through dark disaster and through the shadow of death. But then in great crescendo they sing,
“All this is just part of Your GLORIOUS design! HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH!” (Praise to I AM!!)
I just can’t listen to that without giving God glory and praise for all the frustrations and difficulties of my day – because they are part of His glorious design. I just love how He foils Satan’s attempts at despair and moves everything into glorious perspective. – Linda
I don’t know if you read all of these there are a lot of comments!! But there is an amazing Church near Atlanta that you should check out http://www.northpoint.org you may have a church you love but I think it would be amazing to connect to really amazing things in my life. Northpoint with Living Proof!! Thanks for the encouraging word! what a blessing you Melissa are. I feel like I know you just from your mom’s stories and I know I may never meet you here on earth but I am excited to meet you in heaven some day!!
Melissa, this is also one of my very favorite songs. a few weeks ago I sang it to one of my deer friends, Melena, she was crying the whole time I was singing. I’m going to sing it tomorrow to another dear friend. I can’t stop singing about His great salvation and love for us. To top all this I’m not a singer, but it is all about being free in Him. Alleluia! And I’ve got to add I’m from France so you can imagine the cute accent that goes along.
Melissa, Thank you so much. We have been going through a computer conversion these last few weeks and I find my nerves on edge so often I wonder why they haven’t changed to locks on the doors to keep by grumpy self out! I am going to put this song (I do love this song! When we sing it in choir at church I always fight the tears)on my computer so I can do what you did this morning. I may turn it up really loud, open my office door and let everyone else chill with it also! God just used you to answer the prayer I cry out to him every day on my way to work(Lord don’t let me loose it today!)
I have no doubt this will be a great help! He has placed a sweet little female cardnal in the court yard outside my window and everytime I think I am going to yell and hurt someones feelings that little bird will show up out there doing something so funny. she must be building a nest. I just stop and watch her until I calm down. I think I like her because she is overwight like me. š Maybe you have hit on something here….what calms us down when we are STRESSED????
Melissa, I’m so sorry you’re having computer issues. We had a laptop stolen from our house last week too- we also live in Atlanta. It’s just awful to lose work. It is hard to make the transition to working from home- I just started last July and it’s really different from working in an office. You should set up a video chat with your co-workers back at Living Proof headquarters.
Melissa-
I read your post earlier this week. Every month, I take turn about with 4 other people putting together all of the worship for our church (2 services, around 400 people on a normal Sunday morning). This was my week to “lead”, and by lead I mean pray hard, seek God’s face, choose songs, gather a team of musicians, and then on Sunday morning lead our body in worship with the assistance of the team. It is normally a grueling week, and this was no different. After reading your post, I decided to include “Before the Throne of God Above” as our call to worship. It was gorgeous with strong voices from us and the crowd, guitar, and the rest of the band. When our pastor got up to speak, he spoke about the encouragement we get from Heb 11 and 12:1-2.
v1. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. v2. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
All of the songs I “chose” were orchesrated by God to go along with what our pastor shared just as well as that one. Amazing! So, your blog entry was used in a mighty way in my life to remind me that God is ALL ABOUT THE DETAILS.
Thanks!
Melissa, this is powerful, inspiring stuff, which i *sorely* needed to read **TODAY**!!!! thank you.
in gratitude,
maria cristina
Thank you so much for this entry, Melissa. We just heard this song on Sunday during the service (a new one for me) and I felt tears sting my eyes as I absorbed the words on the screen. Then, to read your blog the next day…wow. God did that. Thank you, Father. Thank you, Jesus. How good you are to us, to me.
Hi Melissa –
I want to thank you for your honesty and encouragement. I always wish I had friends like you and your sister. Its hard for me to find people here in OC, CA that I have a lot in common with or are my age. I was wondering how did you and your sister deal with making friends that were both fun and honorable.
Thank You and God Bless,
Molly
I wish I could get this: what you said, “The Great Unchangeable I AM! THE KING OF GLORY AND OF GRACE!”
Don’t understand this at all. Just a mechanical broken person and don’t even know how broken I am
“When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin”
This is the very reason I am still out of depression today. Because of my Lord Jesus, my precious Jesus, I am able to live free of condemnation and find my mind’s peace, my soul’s consolation, and my heart’s joy in Him. “Thank you, Jesus,” doesn’t seem enough, but it’s all I have.