But, these first few days of 2011 has also been very difficult. My heart has been broken for close friends. My heart IS broken for close friends. I have cried a lot of tears, I have prayed a lot of prayers. I've called my mom a lot. Cancer for one family. Suicide for another. Those things are daggers to the heart... no matter who goes through them.
At any rate, this past Sunday, the sermon at the Stone was titled: The Good News of Suffering. I prayed my way through this sermon as tears streamed down my face. I prayed for my friends... that in spite of suffering, we are all sheep of THE Shepherd. That despite how we run, when we run, what we run to, what we have to face, how we face it or when we face it, He will never leave us. We are His. No matter what. In light of a sweet friend's death, I am so grateful for this reminder.
But the waterworks really turned on when we sang one of my favorite songs. David Crowder's "How He Loves". I normally tear up when I hear this song... but this time it was different. It was what I needed to hear... and seeing has how it's Tuesday and I'm still thinking about it... I feel like it's something I should share with you. Maybe you need to hear it. Maybe you don't right now. But, I just hope that this post blesses someone out there.
How He Loves
He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.
And oh, how He loves us oh
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all
He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.
And oh, how He loves us oh,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all
He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
And we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If His grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…
That He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
