Lord, I Need You (feat. Audrey Assad) - Acoustic

I'm reading a book by Paul David Tripp, called Forever- Why you can't live without it.  A dear friend and pastor of mine gave it to me.  I started the book at the beginning like most people do.  But I quickly realized that like most good books, the best parts were in the back.  (Being an OCD person, I struggle that I haven't read the in between pages. Please don't judge me.)  The general overview of the book is that the reason we don't enjoy our lives now is because we live "in the now" and "now" is not our destination.  Forever is what we have to look forward to.  When we start to view life in a "forever lense" things are easier to manage because we know that our God created us with forever in mind, not with our current situations and not limited to our birth and death as the world sees it. 

There was a chapter on Suffering so I jumped right in.  The actual title of the chapter is, "Suffering is harder when you have no forever."  I wish I could quote the entire chapter to you.  One of my favorite parts comes from scripture,

" Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being GUARDED through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials."
 -1 Peter 1:3-6

 

Tripp goes on to express how Peter can't think about his present trials without looking at it in light of forever.  Tripp is fascinated with the word "guarded" in this passage.  He says, "Not only does God have a plan that you are included in, but he is also with you daily and guarding you through every situation as he is preparing you for forever.  You see, guarded, means that not only is your future guaranteed, but it means that God is protecting you in the here and now as well.  If forever is in your future then God must "guard" you between now and whenever forever becomes your permanent address.  "Guarded" means you cannot only be assured of future hope, but of the right here, right now comfort of present help." 

 

The author goes on to talk about God's grace and how that grace manifests itself in our present trials.  He says, "in grace he gives me all I need to face what I am facing with courage and hope.  To do this, He gives me all the grace I need to fight bitterness, doubt of God, and the temptation to run from my faith and give way to panic and fear, bombarding myself with questions that no human can answer.  'Guarded' means that in  my moments of suffering, God provides me with protective grace and because he does, I can have "living hope".  This hope is something different than the sterile hope of distant, theological platitudes.  It is the security of real provision in desperate times of need."

 

Here is what I glean from this:  God is guarding my heart.  He is constantly with me, even when I don't feel it.  I can rest assured that He had forever in mind when he created me and he has forever in mind as I walk through this valley in my life.  I don't understand it and I don't like it but for whatever reason it is necessary for me to walk this path. 

 

 

Where sin runs deep Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are, Lord, I am free
Holiness is Christ in me

 

Teach my song to rise to You
When temptation comes my way
And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You
Jesus, You're my hope and stay

 

Grace- that is what I Need to remember. 

Grace- that covers my sins.

 Grace- that gives me courage.

 Grace- that holds onto me when I am so tempted to let go. 

Grace- what I need most in this world.