Captivated

"Captivate Us" -Watermark-

Your face is beautiful
And Your eyes are like the stars
Your gentle hands have healing
There inside the scars
Your loving arms they draw me near
And Your smile it brings me peace
Draw me closer oh my Lord
Draw me closer Lord to Thee

(chorus)
Captivate us, Lord Jesus
Set our eyes on You
Devastate us with Your presence
Falling down
And rushing river, draw us nearer
Holy fountain consume us with You
Captivate us Lord Jesus, with You

Your voice is powerful
And Your words are radiant bright
In Your breath and shadow
I will come close and abide
You whisper love and life divine
And Your fellowship is free
Draw me closer O my Lord
Draw me closer Lord to Thee

(chorus)

Let everything be lost in the shadows
Of the light of Your face
Let every chain be broken from me
As I’m bound in Your grace
For Your yoke is easy, Your burden is light
You’re full of wisdom, power and might
And every eye will see You

(chorus)



I really love this song. It goes to a whole new level of how much we need Jesus. Christ gives us everything. He left so that we could receive all the power that we need in the form of the Holy Spirit. Wow. What a sacrifice. Christ has to draw us to Himself. We cannot attain Him by our own power, but only through Him calling us by our names over and over.

That's one reason why I chose to name my blog "Talitha cumi. . .and I listened." In the Gospels, Christ is asked to bring a girl back to life. He tells the people that she is only sleeping. . .then he tells her, "little girl, I say to you, rise!" That's what "Talitha, cumi" means in the original Aramaic language.

All this is to say that, yes, God calls us. Just like He calls this little girl, He called me. Sometimes, He has to call over and over, sometimes it just makes sense to some people. All in all, I am amazed that I have been chosen to be an object of God's affection. Not everyone gets this; not everyone will see His scarred hands; not everyone will be in His presence.

God freely gives us compassion, love, and forgiveness. Oh, the comfort of being a child of God! The only difference between my sin and a non-Christian's sin is that mine is FORGIVEN already. That's what separates us; that's where I came from. Out of the depths of the miry pit, God called to me, He pursued me, He changed me, He sanctifies me daily, and I will be with Him one day (soon, please, right?).

Psalm 40 was the very first thing I read after I became a Christian. I don't suggest always relying on the old "I will randomly open my Bible and God will lead me to what I need" deal, but in this case, it was certainly an amazing thing. This is what Christ did for me. . .

Psalm 40:1-5:
1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.

2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.

4 Blessed is the man
who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods. ^[a]

5 Many, O LORD my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare.

I mean, I was in a slimy place and I didn't even know it. Whatever you do, don't fool yourself into thinking that you can succeed in this life without Christ. Without Him, well, I don't even want to go there. Happiness is fleeting without Christ. With Christ, joy is forever. As David Crowder Band writes. . . .

"Forever and Ever, Etc." -David Crowder Band-
Love so incredible to know
It's never gonna go, never gonna go
Love too impossible and true
For anyone but You, for anyone but You

I think I'm on the brink of something large
Maybe like the breaking of the dawn
Maybe like a match being lit
Or the sinking of a ship, letting go gives a better grip

I'm finding everything I'll ever need
By giving up gaining everything
Falling for You for eternity
Right here at Your feet
Where I wanna be
I am Yours

Love so indelible to know
You're never gonna go, you're never gonna go
Love too unthinkable and true
For anyone but You, for anyone but You

Maybe like a match being lit
Or the sinking of a ship, letting go gives a better grip

I'm finding everything I'll ever need
By giving up gaining everything
Falling for You for eternity
Right here at Your feet
Where I wanna be

I'm finding everything I'll ever need
By giving up gaining everything
Falling for You for eternity
Right here at Your feet
Where I wanna be

I am yours
I'm finding everything I'll ever need
By giving up gaining everything
Falling for You for eternity
Right here at Your feet
Where I wanna be

I'm finding everything I'll ever need
By giving up gaining everything
Falling for You for eternity
Right here at Your feet
Where I wanna be

I am Yours

Forever and ever and ever and ever Forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever Forever and ever and ever and ever Forever and ever and ever and ever Forever and ever and ever and ever Forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever

Give it up, folks, give it up to Jesus. I'm pretty excited about this "forever" stuff!