Today's article comes from a well-known and powerful voice in the global Church, Darlene Zschech (pictured below). Darlene is perhaps best known as a worship leader at Hillsong Church, and an anointed song writer (including Shout to The Lord). Lately, her efforts have been focused on a project that she and her husband, Mark, started called HOPE:Rwanda. HOPE is a faith-based, non-profit organization that brings together church, government, NGO's, private enterprise, healthcare and individuals, to provide practical solutions to countries devastated by war, genocide and poverty. When you factor in her responsibilities as a mom as well, you can begin to see that there's a huge demand on her time. With that in mind, let's hear what she has to say about "Priorities"...
Enjoy.
Hey lovely people….Wherever this edition finds you, I pray that you are doing great, whether in the valley or on the mountain top..for our God is so faithful, and is the very best at simply meeting with us wherever we are at.
Today I want to speak to each of you about your priorities, and ask you how you are doing when it comes to keeping the main thing the main thing in your own list of priorities.
God Himself keeps the list fairly straightforward for each of us as He reminds us many times throughout the word, to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, AND to love our neighbours as ourselves. Matt 6 says to SEEK FIRST, the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you. Sounds easy… but how often have each of us gotten ourselves tied up in knots over simply being too busy, too preoccupied in mind and heart with trivial endeavours, and in the struggle for keeping up with everyone else, even in the cultures of success many of us live in, we can easily fail to meet the cry of God's heart for our lives, and we settle again for the praises of man rather than the peace of God.
Life in the 21st century, as magnificent and convenient as technology has allowed, there is hardly a space in our everyday for meditating on God and waiting for His voice.. UNLESS you have made this a priority!
In Rev 2, the Lord commends the Ephesian leaders for their labour and hard work, but challenges their reasoning by saying that in their eagerness to work FOR God, they had become so distracted, that their hearts were not toward God. Their hands full, but their hearts empty. Leaving your first love toward the Father dosen’t normally happen in an instant, it happens gradually as the value of the relationship with God begins to be squeezed out by well meaning activity. In Rev 2:5 it says to the leaders... ‘now remember and repent, OR I will return and remove your light...’
Very sobering, as remember, it is only because of His light and life in us that we have anything to sing OR say, and more than that... a reason for every breath. IN HIM, we live and move and have our being.
I’ve had to learn to put some boundaries around my life, my resources and my time…to ensure that I have taken responsibility for the season I am in and have been given to serve and love my family, my church family, my neighbour, and my LORD. And rather than having a list of things that I HAVE to do, and putting READ THE BIBLE and pray on the top of my list... ( sounds like religion to me!! ) … over time, this relationship with Jesus has become the most critical connection I have as His word has literally become food for my entire being. Thus begins the choice to worship becoming a priority in your life, rather than another rule to follow. A little check up to do to tell what you REALLY value in your world... look at where you spend your time, your energy, your finance… and if the answer shocks you or dosen’t truly represent your heart's desire... then its time to take action and make some changes.
With much love I say, pay attention to the putting things right in your world that are out of balance, or simply wrong... as my husband says, sometimes to get truthful with yourself is one the hardest things to do... but the fruit is well worth it... and God rewards fruit, not activity.
As leaders, pastors, worship pastors… in this incredible season in History, simply remember that as you are shepherding and loving others to Jesus, make sure you have prioritised loving Him and being fuelled in His presence yourself... there is no substitute. Lets start a revolution of truth, of love, of grace, of family, of forgiveness, of worship that shakes nations and compels us to a closer walk with Jesus.
OK... and as I am female, and a song writer, I will endeavour to write less words next time…
Love you and totally believe in you…
Darlene Z.
Source: DarleneZschech.com
Photo Source: iTickets
No comments:
Post a Comment