Welcome to my newest segment on my blog. I’m on a ‘new’ roll now fa… Churning out one new project after another. Before I proceed, indulge my deviation. Please allow me to introduce my newest baby blog… *drum roll please* www.imindthegapng.wordpress.com. I got friggin’ tired of the so many griping about how terrible the NYSC scheme is and I decided I was gonna dig up and share the amazing NYSC stories (including mine), and trust me they abound. So be a sugar lump and share the blog addy, will ya? Oshay.
Ok where were we?
So this new segment here on this blog, I’ma be sharing fabulous songs that have such a deep message. Sometimes I would share the lyrics fully, sometimes in part, but I would be sharing stuff from the song.
Seeing the kinda love I have for CASTING CROWNS now, I figured I would start with their song IF WE ARE THE BODY!
I subscribe to their devotional plan on the BB app ‘YOUVERSION’ and even though it is just for 7days, I start all over again when I am done. Amazing deep stuff. They share the inspiration behind any of their song, or the testimonies people share with them as a result of that song.
‘If we are the body’ is the first in the devotional and I would just paraphrase the story. The casting crowns crew be preppin’ for a concert in Venezuela and they needed a Citizen to travel with them to help the language barrier. They picked this young poor Venezuelan girl in America and during one of their lounging sessions, part of their crew, a CHRISTIAN youth group comprising coupla cool American kids were gisting and she eased into their convo, since she was about their age.
They totally ignored her.
Probably didn’t imagine she could speak English and carried on their usual convo- dresses, shoes, Friday nights, etc. Then when it was time to pray, the Venezuelan girl was called up and she prayed in Spanish after which she started to speak FLUENT English. The young American girls were stunned!!! They hadn’t imagined she could understand, talk more of speak ‘their English’ hence they had left her out of their discussions. Yet when this Christian group gets to her country, they would preach the LOVE message; meanwhile they couldn’t show her love in their ‘closet’.
‘What a superficial lot’ she may have thought. Pretenders!!! Act one way in private and then ‘lift up holy hands’ in public. Maybe she didn’t even think all that but wouldn’t she be justified to have?
Of course, the devotional had to add that their Youth ministry has matured since that day before we start labeling them as phonies’ ooo.
The message was clear tho- we all are called to obey THE GREAT COMMISSION. Preach the word to ALL and don’t chose where to and who to. Don’t be too into yourself and your other Christian friends with whom you speak your ‘Christianese’. Others need to see and feel ‘our Jesus’ too and if He is really in us, He will pour out of us. He’s too big to be contained. We are the body!!! We all have our INDIVIDUAL parts to play. We are not to leave it to those on the ‘pulpit side of church’. Like I heard a preacher say once, it has jumped from the pulpit into the pew. No one is EXEMPT!!!
I recall back then in school, I had my ‘church clique’. We sat together in church (after seeing and gisting with same people all week ooo) and we also went home together to each other. Someday, a message Rev TJ preached came alive in me. She said som’in like ‘We have stopped being fishers of men and we are now keepers of the aquarium’. We are no longer ‘fishing’ rather we are showing off our Christianity to those who don’t need it inside the church. KOINONIA meaning ‘intimate fellowship’ can affect the church sometimes. We have to be careful of that.
My life changed and I began to live in the way that our ‘Oga at the top’ expects us to for the rest of school year. I mixed so well with first timers, or visitors. I gisted with them after service, visited them during the week. Shared their successes and pains. I did get draining at some point, cos for some, calling me was always a delight, but it was really fulfilling. I am also grateful for the harvest won.
I must admit this was easier in school. The ‘contained’ college life helps, lie no good. Now, in the work world, one can get so busy that evangelism is compromised. But I have resolved to do the best I can, even now.
Lemme share the part of the lyrics I love the most
…A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat and quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances
Tells him that his chances are better out on the road
Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come…
Sometimes we think ‘this one doesn’t measure up jor, why bother?’ But really, the price on their head is too high (as yours). No, we don’t get to chose who ‘measures up’. Make every ‘traveler’ feel welcome and lose the awkward glances and posing already.
To a lot of people, we are the CLEAREST picture of JESUS. And how we respond to them, within and outside the church, is how they are gonna see HIM, and be drawn to Him.
Let’s rep Him well. He is counting on us.
Download link of the song.
http://mp3.li/index.php?q=Casting%20Crowns%20-%20If%20We%20Are%20the%20Body
I pray it works. If not, please Google.
Stay blessed n’ blessin’
E’
Hmmmm. Magnificent.Last week I told my kids a story to shed more light on smthing similar to ur message. A story my Presbytarian uncle used to tell his church members to encourage love bd evangelism. I share now the story of :THE SHOES IN CHURCH
I showered and shaved, I adjusted my tie.
I got there and sat In a pew just in time.
Bowing my head in prayer as I closed my eyes..
I saw the shoe of the man next to me Touching my own. I sighed.
With plenty of room on either side…… I thought, ‘Why must our soles touch?’
It bothered me, his shoe touching mine, But it didn’t bother him much.
A prayer began: ‘Our Father’…………. I thought, ‘This man with the shoes, has no pride. They’re dusty, worn, and scratched. Even worse, there are holes on the side!’
‘Thank You for blessings,’ the prayer went on.
The shoe man said a quiet ‘Amen.’
I tried to focus on the prayer……. But my thoughts were on his shoes again.
Aren’t we supposed to look our best. When walking through that door?
‘Well, this certainly isn’t it,’ I thought, Glancing toward the floor..
Then the prayer was ended……….. And the songs of praise began.
The shoe man was certainly loud….. Sounding proud as he sang.
His voice lifted the rafters…….. His hands were raised high.
The Lord could surely hear The shoe man’s voice from the sky.
It was time for the offering…… And what I threw in was steep. I watched as the shoe man reached Into his pockets so deep.
I saw what was pulled out………… What the shoe man put in.
Then I heard a soft ‘clink’ . As when silver hits tin.
The sermon really bored me To tears, and that’s no lie.
It was the same for the shoe man…. For tears fell from his eyes.
At the end of the service As is the custom here, We must greet new visitors, And show them all good cheer.
But I felt moved somehow and wanted to meet the shoe man. So after the closing prayer I reached over and shook his hand.
He was old and his skin was dark…. And his hair was truly a mess.
But I thanked him for coming, For being our guest.
He said, ‘My names’ Charlie. I’m glad to meet you, my friend.’
There were tears in his eyes. But he had a large, wide grin.
‘Let me explain,’ he said, wiping tears from his eyes.
‘I’ve been coming here for months and you’re the first to say ‘Hi.” ‘I know that my appearance Is not like all the rest. But I really do try To always look my best. I always clean and polish my shoes before my very long walk. But by the time I get here they’re dirty and dusty, like chalk.’
My heart filled with pain………. And I swallowed to hide my tears.
As he continued to apologize for daring to sit so near He said, ‘When I get here I know I must look a sight. But I thought if I could touch you…Then maybe our souls might unite.’
I was silent for a moment……….. Knowing whatever was said would pale in comparison… I spoke from my heart, not my head.
‘Oh, you’ve touched me,’ I said……’And taught me, in part; That the best of any man Is what is found in his heart.’
The rest, I thought,this shoe man will never know. Like just how thankful I really am…that his dirty old shoe touched my soul.
Wow!!!
The trivial things teaching a lesson!!!
Shoes!!! Reminds me of ‘this christmas shoes’ sung by a kid.
Thanks for sharing love.
Really we don’t get to chose who we ‘show our Jesus’ to… Dirty feet and louboutins… All are invited!!!
E’
Me, I’m an aquarium tender/manager. Iv chosen to maintain ONLY friends whose opinion matter to me. But I think I will try my possible best to take a few swims out of dt comfort aquarium. But I do have lovely gold fishes in there so I’m afraid of feedin myself to d sharks by d river side. God wil give grace sha. Cnt afford to go to hell for dt reason.
Nne they don’t even have to be friends!!! Just consider them a part of God’s large family. As you draw from the goldfish, feel free to share to the fish out there (not all are shark na)
Tz a command from God. Preach the Word, in err’way you can…
Now I of course know that u can’t afford to ‘reach’ everyone.
Do your bit.
Some will indeed manifest shark tendencies. Tz for us to apply wisdom to know whether a shark fight (with a few bruises) is worth it or to just let the shark be on its own jejely…
Muah
E’
Agreed. Well spoken
Nne they don’t even have to be friends!!! Just consider them a part of God’s large family. As you draw from the goldfish, feel free to share to the fish out there (not all are shark na)
Tz a command from God. Preach the Word, in err’way you can…
Now I of course know that u can’t afford to ‘reach’ everyone.
Do your bit.
Some will indeed manifest shark tendencies. Tz for us to apply wisdom to know whether a shark fight (with a few bruises) is worth it or to just let the shark be on its own jejely…
Muah
E’
Loooool at hell!!! No we can’t.
hi ezi. loooong time. I guess i’m d only one who dint enjoy camp except the people and the marching, all dat regimented lifestyle- hia, adamawa camp doesn av much to offer honestly, I tried not to be in d clinic often but then…. I love casting crown. they are my best aafter kirkk frankllin, before, after,, whatever, and wen I listen to them I see a ministry not being slothful in bizness. but this song reminds me of another by kirk- the last Jesus. dat song is all I need to do a daily evaluation on my mission on earth. “if I say I love Jesus but they cant see my Jesus, tell me, what’s the use….”
Looool
Long time indeed babes!!!
Camp got the better of you loooool
Pele about your camp. Lagos camp moved me sha. Hence my new found NYSC love and subsequent blog…
I still ask, does Kirk sing????
I love what he does sha but I won’t call it singing. But I love him, true.
I’ll look for the song.
Hope you are back to regular here ooo
Enjoy ur service year…
E’
Mmmmm…Kirk doznt ‘sing’. He adds sentences to d main song nd echos d song but not in music ( like what he did in ‘Why we sing’). Bt bfor he bcame calm my dad use to say dt if Kirk was a Nigerian, he wld fit it well as a HoD of d choir in ‘Cele’ church.
Hhahahahahahaha
U and ur popsie ooooo…
I think he writes and arranges the song and then brings a woman to sing it.
I guess that’s a new kinda singing!!!
And by Juve, it surely pays his billsssssssssssssss
lol at does kirk sing. he doesn’t but he owns the songs! yeah i’m back again;-)
Yay!!!!
Good!!!
Biko you and kirk shift!!! Looool.
Btw I have almost all his songs and u need to see how excited I am when he comes up on 1G or any gospel mix.
Love him, shout, drama and all.
E’
Wonderful post.
Thanks lovey
E’
to b sincere, I have d tendencies to b racial in my song selection. I dnt give white artistes,epecially d gospel artists a chance in my head, apart from dos ones dat were forced on us in church,so I dnt listen to casting crown, but since E does nd she enjoys dem to d extent of putting up a blog post, I shld try dem out.
Ezar, ur shoe story is just ‘epic’.
I really enjoyed it.
Nd I really Lol at kirk being a cele choir leader.
:d thank u Ricky. Glad to share :d
Oh my!!!
Racist has a new meaning loool
Yesoooo. Dy think dy have d monopoly of racism. We sef racist. Looool.
But casting crowns is fab. I dunno ’em sef. Whether black or filipino. I just know the songs.
Thanks love. And yes Dumdum is just som’in!!!
E’