All God Wants is: "Yes"

I’ve said before how the promise-hunting began in Psalms for me. Well, I also found answers to questions that used to haunt me when I was younger. Looking back, I see how far I’ve come. No, not perfect- just progressing.

Reading the Word of God is what is really radically changing the way I think. I don’t want to think like everyone else. I want to be transformed by Christ and think completely different.

So I’ve also said before how I grew up in church. Something that used to be really hard for me was the hypocrisy. I saw many people come to church and get some of God, but then curse and gossip in the school bathroom. It was beyond hard for me not to judge them for being so fake. I hated seeing them do whatever they wanted and never getting caught. I knew I had to be careful so I didn’t become them, but also felt like I was being unfairly treated by God.

I guess you could say I was having a David moment. I was confused and wanted to know why people who do wrong succeed?!

So I sat down one day to look for some promises, and found Psalms 73. Verses 1-8, 13 are below: 

Surely God is good to Israel,
    to those who are pure in heart.

But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
    I had nearly lost my foothold. 

For I envied the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 

They have no struggles;
    their bodies are healthy and strong.

They are free from common human burdens;
    they are not plagued by human ills.

Therefore pride is their necklace;
    they clothe themselves with violence. 

From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
    their evil imaginations have no limits.

They scoff, and speak with malice;
    with arrogance they threaten oppression.

Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
    and have washed my hands in innocence.

After reading that, it was like a flashback to those moments where I encountered fake “Christians”. Then I kept reading and discovered something else. Verses 16-17 are below:

When I tried to understand all this,
    it troubled me deeply

till I entered the sanctuary of God;
    then I understood their final destiny.

Ahh, so it’s okay if this troubles me sometimes. It’s okay if I don’t understand. But when that happens, I better enter the sanctuary of God! I better get to His house fast, so God can teach me. Sometimes we really just need to get into the presence of God.

There’s a song that I heard called “Yes” by Shekinah Glory Ministry. I heard it for the first time after a sermon in my youth group. It’s words are powerful and life-changing if they become your prayer. “My heart and soul says Yes.”

The words also brought a challenge and an explanation. This desire to know why people could do bad things and not get caught, but I couldn’t- was answered in that song. (Actually, it's from Luke 12:48!) But on that night of the sermon, with Shekinah Glory Ministry playing, I heard it clearly: “There is more that I require of thee.” Over and over that line is repeated- and it stuck with me. 

I can’t do whatever I want, because God requires more from me. 

I can’t listen to the trashy music, because God requires more from me. 

I can’t go to that party (that I wasn’t even invited to), because God requires more. 

I can’t lower myself to that standard, because God requires more from me. 

So much more.

And even though He requires more of me, still I’ll say Yes. 

I say Yes to His will, His plan, His purpose- because it’s perfect and the only place worth being.

Click the link below to listen to this amazing song. It's long, but completely worth it!

"Yes" by Shekinah Glory Ministry

P.S. I didn't tell anyone that this was my next topic to write about. And a few days ago, a friend came up to me and started talking about this song, how because I talked about it- they've started listening to it more. It was a confirmation to me. Then, as I'm typing this on the computer, my iPod (which was on shuffle) started playing this song. Double confirmation! Thank you God, that you speak Your Word into our lives in so many different ways. I'm beyond thankful.