♦ drawing Parallels ♦
~within context~

July, 2012

Good day, readers. It is a privilege to continue this series, and do so with commitment to Him. The third monthly drawing for the year 2012 covers another song by Foo Fighters, titled Erase / Replace, as well as another song by Audio Adrenaline titled Starting Over. Both these examples reach a different conclusion to a point of discussion that I hope can best be wrapped up with scripture that I make mention and direct reference to.

Erase / Replace

"Attention
Pay attention..."

The beginning words to the song may strike some with thoughts returning to those moments where it seems there is at all times a person telling us to pay attention to them over whatever else our mind's are drawn to. Others might be stricken by pride hearing the phrase "pay attention" coming from anyone who they do not hold in such respect as themselves to give such attention to, based on experience, emotional expression, personal embarrassment, separation of social status, or just simple pride. Either way, not many people like being told what they want to do. We like being told what to do just as much as being held accountable towards what we have to do, especially when we have failed at something we are personally responsible for.

"We made these promises

You made these promises"

Everyone had made their own form of oaths in life, for good or bad. This song I can only assume is lamenting towards oaths left unfulfilled as they were empty from the beginning and subsequently meaningless since they were first made. The writer calls for oath takers to "Erase" their worthless words and "Replace" them with meaning in order to bring about success with the commitment(s) that we all have meant to put ourselves to through our words. It is truly the words of someone broken and bogged down by regret, seeking all the more for a way out; salvation and renewal to restore things to where they are meant to be. I can attest to the statement that God hears these words, but my word on that subject is not required.

Starting Over

"Look what you've done
You've ruined it for everyone
Who told you that you had to lose your innocence?"

Some people might hear these lines and say "Story of my life," just to express how much they feel the burden of blame in the outcome of their troubling circumstances. What this song says to me is how someone realizes that they have fallen from grace, yet through His mercy they are able to "reclaim [their] innocence." One has to be careful in considering these words though, as they might seem to imply that they had actual innocence to begin with. Outside of Christ, there is no innocence, folks. No one seeks after God. Not even one. Or as I once put it to words, "Not one is perfect, and even less understand that well enough,"

Even so. There is more to God's genuine grace than what is given credit by doubters. Just as His love is for us, God's mercy is unconditional, thorough, all fulfilling, all redeeming, ...steadfast and everlasting. There is no force in life more dedicated to the redemption of man than God, as there is nothing else capable of giving such salvation. I am living proof of how Jesus saves, time and time again if need be. My full testimony is rather long because of this, yet blessed I am to hold it true to His cause now as I can personally touch on just about every controversial aspect you might think of in terms of dealing with sin. There are those who have managed to get so far in life to this day that they can safely say that they did not go through a post-redemption fall period at all. They maintain a fairly clean testimony, which makes it only seem hard to relate as tainted my past is. What lack of faith, I should say. Better to find more to relate to, as I should certainly find some way of praising with such a blessed human being, who was brought through into early adulthood faultless before God by their devotion to Christ alone. Simply hearing about someone with none of those big stains to worry about would be something to put my own mind at ease, as I consider such a life as proof of His power. It is such confirmation that envy would not justify my own salvation. To discredit any genuine work of God, ESPECIALLY through the miracle of salvation would disqualify my own testimony.

But all the more blessed I find myself, even in the frustration of frustrations; those moments where I find I need to go back to the drawing board, wipe the slate clean... and start over... for the umpteenth time.

And it is okay to start over. It truly is never too late to do so. I believe so, and I can be bold enough to say that I know so. That is how great my God is, and that is how great His display of power through grace is through my life. What makes it even so much greater is that I don't need to make any promises. I only need to rest on His promise, and it will be fulfilled.

I can get on my own case well enough when it comes to the times where I've fallen. Yet I can find how blessed I am to find forgiveness in light of such, so that now I am broken in heart to the brink. The only thing I know I can count on is Jesus as I now have come to find so truthful. My chains have been broken, even after I've willingly thrown myself in worldly bonds. It breaks my heart all the more to realize just how prevalent His presence was in my darkest times.

When I fail, God is still sufficient in covering the world with His glory. There is a great example I know I can live up to, and through Christ I can even surpass.

Second Samuel, chapter six describes for us the story of David as he is charged with returning "the ark of God, which is called by the name of the LORD of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim," to Jerusalem. It seems like a tragic story at first, because David was unlearned in the discipline firmly outlined by God in His instruction to the nation of Moses as to how His Ark is to be brought from place to place. The anointed king brought the ark towards the city behind his thirty thousand handpicked men, drawn by the backs of beasts of burden. An ox wagon is not what God told the Israelites of old to carry His throne with. This spelled out bad news, yet He showed grace up until the point where a man from David's entourage, Uzzah notices the ark in danger of falling off of the cart. The poor guy lifted his hand to save the throne of God from certain (yet, faithfully uncertain) destruction, then was struck dead by His authority. Everyone is shocked, and David is especially upset... with God. What was Uzzah doing to deserve what he got? Even so, this tantrum was quite momentary. David could tell that it was his mess to clean here, as clearly he was doing something wrong. So the king goes to back to the drawing board and finds the scripture detailing how the ark is to be dealt with, then gathers everyone again to start the process over.

Success couldn't be sweeter.

After the first six steps with the ark a given offering makes it official, and the band strikes up. The nation of Israel jams out and rejoices all the louder than they were just prior, as they could see what just happened. God gave them another chance. God gave them another chance to place Him at the head of the kingdom He promised to Abraham generations before. Returning things to their rightful place in our lives shouldn't yield any different results. And yet, the victory in Jesus that David witnessed alongside his people wasn't seen by all. When the king got to Jerusalem, he was met by his love Michal... with sinfully sarcastic scorn. Just what was this girl, David's wife none the less, thinking by trying to throw mindless accusations towards the man of her dreams? Why didn't she join in? Was she too busy hanging out in the palace to bother with being beside her God-given man during His moment of triumph through His anointed? Good golly. Sigh. She missed the boat for sure, and as the last verse of chapter six tells she at least never had to deal with the complexities of being a mother in her life. On the other hand, she never was able to redeem the honor of her father Saul,, the first anointed king of Israel which made this boat a truly sorrowful one to miss indeed... Phew! But, yeah. Perhaps she had time to contemplate and make things right for herself at least, so she didn't miss out completely. Who's to say, though? I would hope this example just goes to show how much more God's salvation of anyone should be praised and uplifted by all who share in it themselves. We don't need to erase our sins to just to make some silly oath to replace it with our own promise. We just need to reclaim the innocence God intended for us to have in ourselves, and start over on His terms rather than our own. It not only gives us a clean spirit, but one that can jam out and dance to a tune given in His honor for the clear display of God's glory to mankind.




That's where I'll leave it for this month. I am still very committed to His work here at Camp Arrowhead, and I'm finding all the more reasons to praise his name. This is mostly because I'm seeing just how I am living an example of David, a man after God's own heart, and I am given a chance to surpass such blessing as he received through Christ through my leaning on His honoring promises, building upon my courage with His support, and devoting myself to a worthwhile commitment to the LORD of hosts. Only through the Son I see myself redeemed, and I can begin... I can begin... truly, truly I say... I can begin to see His light and hope all the better. I hope everyone has had a blessed summer so far, and will continue to. In the mean time, God bless and
~keep it real, folks.