‘And everything revolves around you’
(Jesus at the Centre – I. Houghton, M. Massey, A. Rannery, A. A. Ranney)
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What is at the centre of your life?
What is the one thing that you really enjoy doing, the thing that you spend your free time pursuing?
Many of my friends love to watch football; they can reel-off player’s names and clubs that they have played for; they can reel-off match statistics until you think they are never going to stop. They will know who is playing who, when they last met, what the score was and even who scored! For them, football is one of the most important things in their life.
I do not follow football, I will watch some international games, but I am no fan.
For me, it has always been about music. When I was a child, I remember some evenings listening to a record with my parent and siblings, or listening to the charts on the radio as they counted down to number 1.
When I was in my junior school we learnt to play the recorder like many children do or did, and when I went to secondary school, I started to learn to play the trumpet, and later after I had left secondary school, I learnt the flute and bugle, and then recently, the guitar.
As I grew up and left school and started to work, I also started to attend church, in my late teens. At this point in my life music played a really large part, as I was playing in a brass band and on weekends, we either played concerts or played in contests.
In the words of a well-known song; ‘music was my first love’ (John Miles 2008).
But The Bible actually tells us that first and foremost, we should not be seeking what we want and what makes us feel better, we should be seeking Jesus and his kingdom;
‘So above all, constantly chase the realm of God’s kingdom and the righteousness that proceeds from him’ (Matthew 6:33 TPT).
When I started to attend church, various people commented on my gift for music, but it was not until I was about 50, that someone in a church service made a comment about wasting gifts.
I belonged to a church where I assisted a number of other in leading communal singing. My life there was not happy, and I felt that I was not looking to God during the services, but at my watch and wondering ‘when will this end?’
I was in a state that I could not listen to or for God I was on my own, and yet I knew that the Bible told me not to be that way;
‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight’ (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV).
I recognised that and decided that something needed to change, and the change had to come from me! I could not worship God if I was looking at my watch and waiting to go home, and not looking at the cross and what Jesus had done for me.
‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16 NIV).
We moved churches, and settled in a new one.
I decided that I was going to do nothing at the church other than worship the Risen Lord, to look to him for guidance and all my daily needs.
This all went well until the day that a friend mentioned about wasting gifts. They basically said that if you have a gift and you are not using it to worship God or show others God’s amazing love, then you were squandering the gift, and worse, because God gives us so much more than we deserve, it is almost like being given an present by a friend and saying, ‘But I don’t want this!’
That took me back all the way to my teens to when I heard similar phrases and comments from people but had rejected them thinking that I knew what was best for my life as I was leading my life.
Now as a more mature person (unless you ask the wife) I looked at the person and realised that God was speaking directly to me through them, he was saying;
‘I have given you this great gift with which you can really bless others, and I do not see or hear you using it, why not?’
I could not answer this, and decided to change the status quo, I needed to honour God with the gift that he had given me;
‘Glorify God with all your wealth [or gifts] honouring him with your very best, with every increase that come to you’ (Proverbs 3:9 TPT – addition mine).
I now help in the worship team, and assist the worship leaders in any way that I can.
I have always liked music, but now can really help make a difference and help to lead others, through song, to the Risen Lord.
So again I ask, what is at the centre of your life?
For me that is still easy, music, and it always will be, but now it is so much more. When I am at home, I sing worship to my King, and when I am at church, I help to lead others to Jesus, I help to hear what an amazing God we serve.
So, what is at the centre of your life?
For me, it is Jesus!
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Jesus at the centre of it all
Jesus at the centre of it all
From beginning to the end
It will always be, it’s always been You, Jesus,
Jesus
Nothing else matters
Nothing in this world will do
Jesus You’re the centre
And everything revolves around You,
Jesus, You
Jesus be the centre of my life
Jesus be the centre of my life
From beginning to the end
It will always be, it’s always been You, Jesus
Oh, Jesus
From my heart to the Heavens
Jesus be the centre
It’s all about You
Yes it’s all about You
Jesus at the centre of the church
Jesus at the centre of the church
And every knee will bow,
Every tongue confess You
Jesus at the Centre
I. Houghton, M. Massey, A. Rannery, A. A. Ranney
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Father we thank you that you created this world for us to live in. Lord we know that we fail you in so many ways, Lord help us to loo to you, to put you at the centre of our live. Help us to live out the words of the song and be able to say the Jesus you are truly at the centre of our lives. Lord we love you Lord.
Amen
Bobbles Stuff 