Simply loving Jesus.

A little longer: Jenn Johnson

What can I do for you?

What can I give to you?

What kind of song would you like me to sing?

I’ll dance a dance for you,

I’ll pour out my love to you,

What can I give to you, beautiful king?

Cause I can’t thank you enough.

Then I hear you sing to me:

“You don’t have to do a thing,

Just simply be with me and let those things go.

It can wait another minute.
Wait, this moment is too sweet, please stay here with me

And love on me a little longer

Cause I’m in love with you”

When we love someone we want to please them - this is so important! We want to make them happy, because this makes us happy, and we want to express our love to this person because this is our natural response. With God, we love him and so we respond with our lives. We thank him for his amazing gift of life by showing him our love.

But, I remember the story of Mary and Martha, in which two very different responses are shown: Mary chose to simply sit at Jesus’ feet and hang on his every word, whilst Martha made herself busy filling time with things she saw as important. I am sure that Martha may also have wanted to show how much she loved Jesus – but in striving to publically DO lots of things, she missed the point. Jesus just wanted HER. Any offering we bring to him will not compare with our undivided attention, and all of our hearts. He loves us, and intimacy with him is more important than anything we could strive to accomplish. We can show our love for God in lots of different ways and serve him with all of our lives, but something so liberating is the fact that the most important response he is looking for is for us to simply sit at his feet - to turn our gaze towards him and love on him. We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19) and so now we should not forget the intimacy that is available to us. The heart of God longs to be close to ours. There is a wonderful innocence and purity (and power) in coming before Jesus simply to love him and to enjoy being in the presence of our Beloved.

Luke 10:38-42:

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

With an undivided heart and a life gazing solely on the face of Jesus, we will sit at his feet and pour out our love on the one who first loved us - and indeed this will not be taken away from us.

Coming back to the Heart of Worship

The following blog entry contains reflections which continued throughout my time at college. It does not always make sense and is full of questions, but I hope that it honestly reflects part of my journey – and that it encourages you at whatever stage you find yourself at. This was a season in which God challenged me to worship him in everything I do. This occurred through the fact that I was in a place where I could not always worship the way I wanted to (e.g. through music). One conclusion I reached was that it doesn’t matter if I am worshipping the way I want to worship, as worship is not about ME. Often it is a sacrifice which gives glory to God due to its very nature. Sacrificial worship can show where your heart is – it is far more wonderful and important to worship God because he is worthy, and because you love him too much to wait until you CAN worship how you want to. Along with this, I realised that the greatest offering you can bring to him is yourself – He sees your heart, not your worldly success. His perspective focuses on the journey of the heart. This is where true success lies, and this is where you will find fruit. My heart is bent towards loving on Jesus and worshipping the God who gave me life and love no matter where I am – I now remember that I can dance upon the chains of circumstance.

“Ok, so my maths exam is tomorrow, and I find myself wondering when I switched from being pretty good at maths to now being at the point of wondering if I'll be able to understand a SINGLE question tomorrow. I don’t want to fail. This is not for the sake of being results-focused or driven by worldly standards, but I want to do well to give glory to God. Something that I know and am sure of is that, through everything, God is greater, and more important than anything. Even maths.

It’s my aim to worship God is everything I do – and offer every aspect of my life as both an offering to Him, but also as something which brings glory to His name. The issue I have is that this includes maths… A tricky one, as it’s hard to directly see the fruit of this worship. This is because I think God’s hand is less obviously seen in my maths work – unlike biology, for example, which tells of his amazing creation or the intricacy found in the balance of life. But nevertheless, I try to use every maths lesson as an opportunity to worship, trusting in the knowledge that God sees my heart.

However, if i'm worshipping God through maths, and giving it all to him as an offering, I don't want this offering to be terrible. I don’t want to give him something that is not the best possible thing. Instead, I want to seek excellence, in order to give him something that is (at least a little bit) worthy. I want to also see that the worship I am offering is bearing fruit – failing maths doesn’t seem like very good fruit. Although I suppose this is not the point.  Maybe the fruit of our worship will appear different to what we first imagined. Anyway, does worship have to be perfect? Surely an important thing is the extent to which this offering was a sacrifice – we’ve got to give our all to God, and so just worshipping through the things that we’re good at, or that we really enjoy, is not really sacrificial. Instead, we’re just labelling our normal activity as ‘worship.’ These things can definitely be worship too, and God calls us into areas that he has gifted us for! But now I am thinking that maybe he also calls us into areas which we have to work hard to succeed in, to show him how much we are really seeking to worship God all the time. Is this it? Does he do this? Does God test us and push us to the edge, so that He can see it for himself? Or, is it so that we can see it for ourselves?

God sees our heart above everything. He instantly recognises a heart that wants to worship, and that is crying out to live for Him in every single way. Please don’t misunderstand me: God wants us to succeed and do well, and even in the really tough things, we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. I think one of the important things here is that, even in the times when it is hard to understand why you find yourself where you do (e.g. in a maths exam), remembering that God is with us and FOR us is so important. He honours how hard we try for Him, and the sacrifices we make. Worship God with all that you do, and with all of your heart – seek excellence in  your life, for the glory of God, but also remember that He will always look at your heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

I still haven’t really figured this all out – but currently, I’m trying to live listening to God’s voice to get His perspective. I lean not on my own understanding, my life is in the hands of the maker of Heaven, and I am more than a conqueror. And my love of God, which leads to a surrendered life, is certainly the most important thing. This is the greatest offering. This is what gives Him glory, and this Love is something which will undoubtedly bear fruit."

-- Heart of Worship (when the music fades), Matt Redman:

I'll bring You more than a song, For a song in itself is not what You have required. You search much deeper within, through the way things appear. You're looking into my heart. 

I'm coming back to the heart of worship, and it's all about you, Jesus. I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it, when it's all about you, Jesus.

Psalm 16: 8-11

I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;My flesh also will dwell securely.
For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.    Psalm 16: 8-11


I have set the LORD continually before me. Isaiah 46 says that ‘I will make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ There is such a comfort in knowing that God has gone before you and has accounted for everything that is to come. He is outside of time and time is in His hands. So, in the knowledge that God is WITH you today and KNOWS about tomorrow, we remain hopeful.

Furthermore, His purpose will stand. All of His ways are good, His plans for us are beyond anything we can imagine and all of his paths lead to LIFE. And so standing firm in the knowledge that his purposes will be fulfilled is a glorious victory against hopelessness or despair. With this truth in our hearts we are comforted.

God knows, and is at our right hand. This closeness with God means that we can draw from His strength – He becomes our foundation and anchor, and we remain unshaken.

Because of this wonderful revelation, we can be ultimately positive! Our hearts are glad as we know that the ultimate conclusion is so good. For the joy set before us we can endure all things– and be joyful TODAY! We will not be abandoned to death or decay, but will walk the path of life. We can look forward to good things. Importantly, having faith that good things WILL happen prevents frustration, meaning that joy is not reserved for the future. When we are in His presence, we have fullness of joy – because this is where he reveals the feelings of his heart and his amazing purposes. Here we remember that we have been set apart for good things, and we rejoice.

Isaiah 58 – Raise your voice and ride in triumph.

Shout it aloud, do not hold back. 
   Raise your voice like a trumpet

...loose the chains of injustice 
   and untie the cords of the yoke, 
set the oppressed free 
   and break every yoke...

...Then your light will break forth like the dawn, 
   and your healing will quickly appear; 
then your righteousness will go before you, 
   and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard... 

...Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; 
   you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I...

You will find your joy in the LORD, 
   and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land 
   and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.

The Rock that is Higher.

I will not build my life upon the passing sands
Of how I feel inside from one moment to the next
But I will love you Lord, my Rock, my God, my Strength
A precious cornerstone that floods of death can never shake.

For there is no peace of mind, outside of truth in Christ
For the fear is real and it's power can kill
But the stability of our times will be the Rock that is higher.

When I am afraid I will trust in You and cling onto the Rock that is higher.

‘My heart is steadfast, O God.’ My heart belongs to God, and His name is written all over it. Because of this, though the world shakes, and our emotions can falter, we are kept in a state of constancy through God. He is our Rock and our Strength, and we can trust in Him as the core of our being which will remain solid. We are rooted in Christ, with roots that go deeper and deeper when we build up relationship with Him, and when we seek His face: trusting in Him, not in ourselves. The stability of our times will the Rock that is higher – the God with ways that are higher than mine, with a shield that is stronger than anything I could attempt to fashion, and with a steadfast love that goes deeper than any fear.

Laura Hackett - When I am afraid

Life is a special occasion – Praising a God who is GOOD to us!

Special occasions are times of immense joy, defined by something amazing - worthy of being called ‘special’ in the first place. Whatever the occasion is, celebration is generally the aim. But an idea which comes to mind is that, often, we have more to celebrate than we think we do. Losing my sense of wonder is something I wish never to do – the goodness of God never ceases to amaze me, and I remind myself regularly about the things He has blessed me with. Even the smallest good thing stems from the almighty work of our Father, and is a glimpse of the detailed patterns of His work on the earth. You see, God is constantly amazing, and He wants to show us this in our lives all the time. Consequently, our LIVES are a constant special occasion, when He is seen in them, making them special.

Thinking about this more, I realised that an occasion is also an opportunity: a chance to celebrate. If our lives are a special occasion, then there is always an opportunity. But, more than this, they are a chance to praise the one from whom everything good overflows, and a chance to recognise the undeniable favour of God in our lives. From a place where we are able to recognise that the good which exists is GOD, and that any Light is GOD, it seems that the natural response is to praise Him; ultimate adoration and thanksgiving responding to the recognition of His goodness. In Psalm 22, it says that God enthrones himself on our praises; that He is placed in a seat of authority when we recognise His greatness. Put across in ‘Worship as it is in Heaven’ (written by John Dickson & Chuck D. Pierce), this idea is developed more fully - but put briefly, it is from this position of enthronement, that the ultimate release of God’s power on earth is enabled. So, through His name being praised, God can move and previous atmospheres can shift; allowing us to walk forward and see God’s purposes fulfilled. As God’s purposes are for the good of those who love Him and for the restoration of His Kingdom, our praise can, logically, only lead to a conclusion that shows us even more of His goodness!

The really amazing thing is that this never stops, from the moment God blesses us. As a response to our recognition of God’s favour, we praise Him and bless His name, which enables God to be enthroned. Through the consequent outpouring of His power and love, this leads Him to bless us again! What an amazing God…

Shielded in the storm.

Life can seem hectic sometimes. With long days at college, and a timetable that often dictates the structure of the rest of my week, it can be hard to really find time to rest with God. I guess it’s the same for everyone – we could all do with the extra hour or so to be in God’s presence, just sitting at the feet of Jesus. But something amazing thing that has struck me in a greater measure more recently is that, in the midst of a busy day, God is still always there. I’ve always known this to be true, but it seems that it’s not until you have been in the middle of a storm that you can fully appreciate the calm – when you are moved by the enveloping peace of God in spite of whatever else is going on, you recognise the magnitude of what it is to know His presence.

God is present in the storm as much as He is in the calm. It can be certain that when we are in the quietness, listening for this still, small voice, He is there. But (even though we may not see this at first) the shelter of His wings also extends beyond the purely ‘quiet’ times, and reaches out to wherever we are; creating new quietness, shielding us all the time, providing us with constant refuge and reminding us that the greatest peace is the one we can access through recognising this unbreakable tie with our Father God. The truth of Psalm 91 is one that echoes in my thoughts so much, especially in the times when I’m totally leaning on God for strength and peace – His promise is that, no matter how big the storm is, HE is bigger, and greater: more than able to still our hearts with the refuge of His wings; His faithfulness to this providing a shield and fortress in which we can place our trust and all of our lives.

When everything is shaking, and it seems like the world is pulling me in a million different directions, God is my Constant. God’s faithfulness and the accessibility to His peace is the one thing that I can fully trust not to waver or change; even when everything else seems to have loose footing, my heart can remain steadfast in the knowledge that God is always there, and He is my refuge.

Running in Circles - United Pursuit Band

Aslan, Lucy and my love of lions.

I love The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis (– and it can probably be expected that more than one blog post will follow with reference to these books…). It would be safe to say that they have been some of my favourite books since I was a child and probably the main reason these books impacted me so much, (as well as the amazing storyline and existing ability to totally pull me into a different world) is because of ASLAN. He was not just any lion, and instead is central to the plot of these books- depicted as a wise and benevolent guide to the children but also as the powerful King of the Beasts, and one who brings life and victory through self-sacrifice. Although Aslan the lion can be read solely as a character in a book, it is difficult to deny the obvious parallels which Lewis spoke of: that Aslan is representative of Jesus. With this in mind, the writings of the Narnia books have so much more depth and power behind them, as they now speak both of the ultimate sacrifice made by God in the heart-wrenching crucifixion of His only son, and the following glorious resurrection which triumphed over any powers of death, leading to the definitive victory of life over death, light over darkness, and love over all.

I absolutely love lions, Aslan being part of this. One of my favourite dreams of all time which God gave me one night, involved me riding on the back of a lion, something which I think I’ll remember forever. Images of lions have been used throughout history, appearing in cultures across the world and they feature so much in the Bible – thinking first to the Lion of Judah!  But, in carrying so much power, royalty and bravery, I think that this is more than mere symbolism. Lions are Kings. Aslan is King. Jesus is King.

Especially as my relationship with God grew and as I fell more in love with Jesus, each time I read these books I found that I loved Aslan more and more. Something that especially moved me was the relationship between Lucy and Aslan. She was always the closest to Aslan, and saw him first. If I was one character in these books, I would be Lucy. She was the youngest, but had so much authority- a fierce warrior known to ride into battle in times of need. This is testimony to the fact that, though the world sees individuals by its own standards, by God’s standards we are so much greater and gifted with so much more. The fact that she was the most faithful of the four children, and never stopped believing in Narnia - from the beginning when she was accused of lying about discovering Narnia, and when back in England, always longing to be back in Narnia in the presence of Aslan- I think makes it more amazing that she is one who gets to remain in Narnia forever at the end of the books.

The closest relationship possible, with an almighty God, providing guidance, strength and so much love. A promised destiny greater than anything the world believes possible for us, or can offer. Adventure and the promise of eternity. What else could we ask for? So look to the Lion of Judah, hear him roar and witness the power and love of the KING.

Seeking God.

I started this blog mainly because a few of my friends decided it would be a good idea for me to try and put things into words in one place. So, here I am - first blog post...

Ultimately, what I am doing everyday is seeking God and seeking His voice. This is my desire; to know more of God, and to feel His heartbeat - with a purpose of knowing His will, and being able to comprehend more of who He is. There are some things I don't think it's possible for us to understand, and I am in no way trying to work out things in my own power: everything I have, God has given to me, and everything I know is due to the teaching God has put in place in my life; the revelations are from Him, in His timing.
God stirs my heart on a regular basis: when I listen for His voice, and when I feel Him near as a consequence. This blog is an honest attempt to put the stirrings of my heart into thoughts, and these thoughts into words, so that the possibility exists of the ultimate Word of the Lord, and the Love of an almighty Father God, being proclaimed over all who wish to encounter Him. I am not claiming to be wise or overly profound in anything I do - I come simply to express what is on my heart. Often I'm not sure what this is myself, but I'm allowing God to use whatever I say in whatever way He wants to.. I don't have all the answers (far from it) - instead I am simply seeking to understand the answers I do have in a deeper way, all for His glory. But let me know if anything I write needs a better explanation... ;)