I Choose...

In a world where anonymity instills false power;
In a world consumed by the Joneses mentality;
In a world overcome by hate, rape, evil, and loss;
In a world where children are misled, mistreated, and misunderstood;

In a world where diagnoses are made for money;
In a world that is all about sales, worth, and stock;
In a world “made for man, by man”;
In a world concerned with self;

In a world where teenagers fear for their future children;
In a world seemingly heading for decay;
In a world in which intimacy, courtship, and love has been redefined;
In a world directed by feelings;

In a world full of torn homes;
In a world where the “solution” is adultery or divorce;
In a world mesmerized by sex and pornography;
In a world with broken families, where sons and daughters don’t have answers;

In a world that actively casts stones;
In a world with legalized murders; 
In a world that contains those dying to die;
In a world where “coping” means numbing;

In a world made up of religion;
In a world of separation;
In a world of politics and diplomats;
In a world where there is no hope;

I choose to believe in the power of song;
I choose to believe in the motivation of human contact and touch;
I choose literature, real, paper… print;
I choose to die to myself;

I choose to trust instead of feel;
I choose life;
I choose fellowship with the body, the entire body, not just the ones I deem appropriate;
I choose to try to do my best at all times;

I choose to let go-of shame, guilt, anger, bitterness;
I choose to minister to others, no matter the cost; 
I choose to pray;
I choose to worship;

I choose to lead by example, rather than force;
I choose to own up to my mistakes and faults;
I choose to embrace my quirks;
I choose to find the good in myself rather than dwell on the bad;

I choose to fight for what I believe in;
I choose to be stubborn about my values;
I choose to laugh, because if I don’t, someone else will;
I choose to jump, because it’s worth it;

I choose my Jesus;
I choose to make a conscience effort to represent Him daily;
I choose to be weird, different, happy;
I choose hope.

Such An Intimate Invitation

Come to the table. It's that simple. A genuine invitation to join God at His table. Me. He wants me to sit at His table. He wants me to partake in a meal with Him. It's that simple.

I've been thinking about communion a lot today. Communion is an event done in remembrance of Christ and what He did for us on the cross. I've taken part in many different communion services but there are two that stick out the most. Usually at my church, we pass around the trays and grab a little chalky square that is the bread, and a little glass of grape juice that you are expected to hold and not spill for 20 minutes while the preacher talks, reads, and prays for the congregation. However this morning at church, one of the pastor's talked, read, and prayed and then as you were felt led, you go get your own bread and dip it in the grape juice. (I kind of thought that was a little gross because everyone's hands had been all over the bread, and I would rather drink my juice separately, butttttt that is beside the point. It's not even about that.) When thinking about the differences between the two, that's when it hit me. We "come to the table", and have to actually move in order to take part in communion.

The whole point of this post is everything that happens before you take part in this act of worship. I guess, the whole idea of coming to the table was sort of humbling for me. God extends this gracious invitation to me. While I am dirty, impure, unworthy, and covered in sin, He is asking for me to join in fellowship with Him.

I never have realized the beauty in this part. Before accepting the invitation, I have a chance to lay everything at the foot of the cross. Not only can I lay down my worries and burdens, but I can lay down my pride, my sins, my filth. No matter how dirty and unworthy I may think I am, God forgets. He doesn't even care! He just wants to spend time with me, because I am his daughter.

Wait, there is more... I am cleansed. I am made new. I am made perfect in His eyes, because He takes it all.

That is the best part. And it's that simple. It really is. What a beautiful exchange... and such an intimate invitation...