Music has a way of stirring a lot of emotion. And certain songs can turn me from a happy-go-lucky Angie into an emotional mess in a beat!
A *few* (handcough) years ago, I was a tired Mom of two busy little girls. It seemed the only time I had to myself were those precious few minutes in the car when the kids were quiet and I had a little space in my own head to think. And since my girls were too little to have opinions about the music we would listen to, I made sure the only music they ever heard was Christian music.
(That was good while that lasted!)
I remember one day in particular. I was super sick with a virus that the doctors couldn’t diagnose. My fever would shoot up to 104 degrees, so I’d take tylenol to get it to a manageable 101 and go about my day. This went on for 3 1/2 weeks. A few days of being this sick would allow me the luxury of staying in bed and letting my then-young-daughters fend for themselves. But after WEEKS of this, tylenol became my life-saving best friend. It was the only way I could function.
One day in this fever driven stupor, I was driving my girls to school. I was exhausted, weary and feeling helpless. But in the car, I turned up the Christian radio to allow myself the 15 minute drive to clear my head and relax. The Words moved me in a way I didn’t expect:
These aren’t the exact words, but the song was based on this passage from 1 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
In a time where I was feeling like I had lost all control and when I was running on empty, God swiftly reminded me that I’m only one, tiny little piece of His big picture.
Politically and culturally the world around me was (and frankly, is even worse now!) a mess. I was sick, I had little kids and I couldn’t see my way out of my sad and helpless existence. But these words from the old testament remind me that as small and fragile people, we have a very important job to do. We need to pray.
We can’t fix ourselves
We can’t fix our culture
We can’t fix those around us
We can’t fix our leaders
But we can and SHOULD and are called by God to pray for our leaders.
“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” Romans 13:1
When we are a part of something as big as this country, we need to be strong in our faith and remember that God has placed our leaders in a position of authority. Even if we don’t like them or disagree, it is our job as Christians to lift them up to our Sovereign Lord and Savior and intercede for them!
That day in the car, when I heard that song on the radio, it was as if God were tapping me on the shoulder and reminding me that I am more than just who I am every day in my own little world. I am an American, and a child of God.
So that morning as I drove, fever and all, I began praying. For my boss, for my pastor, for the police, the mayor, the governor, the Senate, the House, the President. I poured my heart out to God that day on behalf of those that God has placed in authority over me. Like them or not, agree or disagree, we pray.
Because God will hear us, and if we as Christians all band together and lift up our country what a powerful thing that would be!
My fever eventually broke and I finally got a diagnosis AFTER the fact. But slowly over these years, I’ve allowed myself to forget about that time and that humble moment when God reminded me of this important lesson.
With presidents day coming tomorrow, I thought this would be the perfect time for us to all take a moment, put our opinions and ideas aside and just pray for our country.
Give it to God.
Would you like to learn more about listening to God?
I created this short Bible study that digs into the book of Haggai, and how God taught us a valuable lesson on hearing Him through distraction.
Each lesson includes worksheets and a video to help you dig into God’s Word and hear what He has to say to you!
- Do you ever get distracted?
- Have you ever felt God leading you to something but you lost interest before you got there?
- Have you ever felt like a failure when something you wanted to do didn’t work out?
If you’ve answered YES to any of these questions…then we need to talk! In this online and self-paced Bible study, I’ll share with you what God told me about these questions and more.