When I Simply Come (Archives)

I had a few requests for this piece I wrote back in October 2008. So much of my life has changed in so many dramatic ways since then, that considering my blog from this morning ("Our Mountains") I thought it'd be nice to bring back an archived blog from the past, just to show how far God has brought me on this journey with Him.

I hope it's a blessing in some way to you.
blake

“When I Simply Come” by Blake Martin



About 3 months ago I spoke with God about my desire to allow Him to be my total LORD. I had found that in my busy life as a Pastor I had allowed other things to creep in and steal my focus. As a matter of fact, I began to follow things rather than Him. One day as I was doing some reading in preparation for a sermon, God was really speaking to me and the sermon was just rolling. But I stopped, took a break, and I set aside my Bible to pay a bill (my truck payment, as a matter of fact). It was in that moment that I realized that God and I had some work to do. And so I got on my knees.

I began to pray, and little did I know that the conversation I was having with God was going to change me and Shauna’s life in short order. In all honesty, there are those things that you cry out to God in moments where His presence is so intense, yet in the long run nothing changes. And, again, in all honesty, I have had plenty of those moments. I guess I just assumed this would be another one, but was I ever wrong. The words that I mouthed to the Lord were sincere, honest, and heartfelt. They came from the depths of who I am. They were real, and I intended for them to matter. They did, and still do.

I had made a statement a few days earlier to someone about my truck. Granted, my 2007 GMC Sierra 1500 Extended Cab is a beautiful ride, and has been with me through some tough stuff; it’s still just a truck. I told someone that I occasionally give the ole’ Gimmie a pat on the hood when I walk by. I caught myself from time to time trying to catch reflections of me and my truck while driving through town. Ridiculous you say? Yes, it was. My defense, which I used many times, was simple: “You just don’t understand the bond between a man and his truck.” I did exactly the same thing with my new Honda ATV. I was so proud – proud of what I had. Just stuff, but it gave me so much happiness. Do you notice a theme? “It gave me…” Wow, was I ever off base with Him.

That day, sitting in my study at the church, He revealed that to me. If you know me you know one thing about me that trumps everything else probably: I am stubborn. My head is thick, and sometimes it takes even my LORD a while to get a lesson across to me. So now fast-forward a few months into the future. I have taken my annual vacation time, as my need to get away and clear my heart about some things was very evident. So I went to the woods in North Arkansas – Hasty, AR to be exact. I sat at a brook and pondered what God has laid out to me a few months ago, and how I had allowed it to change me in absolutely no way. But I began to put two and two together about some events in my life after that day in the study – and it all began to make sense.

I told God to strip away anything that would prevent Him from being LORD in my life. I told Him I was ready to be totally committed, with nothing standing in the way of whole-hearted service to Him. I told Him I wanted to be able to honestly say that I love Him more than anything else in this world, and that no matter what was taken from me, my love and devotion to Him would not waver. I told Him all that – and I truly meant it. There was no disclaimer that stipulated my excuse to bow out of this commitment if it got too hard – I was truly laying it down. There was no lightning bolt – no thunder – no rattling walls. As a matter of fact, it took about 3 months for me to get my answer in the form of an affirmation.

At that brook in the woods of North Arkansas I picked up a stone and held it up to God and said, “God, this is my worry, my chains, my concerns, my desires, my idolatry, and the things that have held me back from full obedience to you.” I threw the stone as far as I could – across the brook into a place that I will never recover it. I picked up a second stone – a beautiful white stone (an awesome picture of purity). I held it up to God and said, “God, this is a reminder of who You are in my life. I will forever look at this stone and remember the Rock of my salvation, the Stone that the builders rejected, the Chief Cornerstone of the Church, the Foundation of my life, the One who will never leave me nor forsake me. When everything else crumbles, I know I have a Rock who will always stand strong. God, this is my reminder to trust in You. You are my Rock.” And I put the rock into my pocket. It now rides with me in the car wherever I go.

And so we are laying it all down. Some would say that life has thrown us a curve ball. It’s actually much simpler than that. “Life” hasn’t thrown us anything. God has given us the privilege of knowing Him better by simplifying our lives. You see, “When the music fades, and all is stripped away, and I simply come – longing just to bring, something that’s of worth, that will bless Your heart – I’ll bring You more than a song, for a song in itself it not what You have required. You search much deeper within, to the way things appear – You’re looking into my heart!”

My God is bringing me back to the heart of worship! It’s not just music, or singing, or preaching, or praying, or lifting hands, or dancing, or shouting, or standing and clapping, or even evangelizing or teaching! It’s all about Him being God in our lives! It’s all about Him being on the throne of Lordship in our lives! It’s all about Him being in charge! He doesn’t deserve to be the “co-pilot” – He should be the PILOT! And I’m coming back to that –and He’s being patient with me as I do.

So what’s the bottom line? It’s actually really simple: I asked God to take away my distractions and He did. Does it hurt when the Great Physician does surgery on our hearts and lives? You bet – it hurts a lot! But the end result – knowing Him better and following Him more faithfully into the adventure called ministry – it so worth it! So the ball comes back to your court now…who or what is God in your life?

One more thing just so you know: God took some things that I thought I had to have away – but provided for the needs we had through His people. You see, taking a step of faith into the seemingly pitch black darkness of an unknown future is a lot more bearable when you have God’s people, listening to His voice and leadership in their life, to stand with you. So we will not skip a beat – ministry will continue, and my eyes will be fixed upon Him who loves me enough to die for me. Shauna and I will never be the same after this experience, and we will always look back to the day when God woke me up and brought me to the place of total submission to His will. It will forever be known as the day that I simply came and He made me free.


FOOTNOTE:
Though so much of what I wrote about in this piece is no longer part of my life, including some relationships, I still have my pure, white stone sitting on the desk in my office. Just another reminder that anything in our life can be taken from us, but He remains. The new phrase I've clung to so heartily in the past year of the journey, God is faithful, fits so aptly here. It's the truth - GIF!
blessings,
blake