By: Mike Kelly
RETIRED PASTOR
This month I have been writing about songs that move me emotionally.
There are several different songs with this title. I chose the one by Timeless Hebrew Tunes because the words struck me deeply and the melody is haunting. I have asked to have it played at my funeral.
It starts out by proclaiming what I hope is how I lived my life. ‘I didn’t have much, but I gave you all. Every step I took, I answered your call… I sowed in tears but trusted in you. Believed in the promise that your word is true. Even when the harvest seemed so far away, I still kept serving day by day. “
Hopefully, each of us has lived our life with such love and dedication to God that we have offered him our all without restraint or restrictions. None of us is going to be 100% faithful but our goal in life should have always been “Yes. Lord”. Serving him every day in every way.
“Every step” means to me not just the big stuff like leaving business to become a pastor or risking it all to start a church.
It means being a faithful spouse and father. It means being a promise keeper and a man of integrity even when no one is looking. It means being Christ’s hands and feet in the world around me, caring for the “least of these” and “my neighbor” every day.
“In the quiet nights and the battles I faced, you were my strength, my hiding place.”
“In the quiet nights,” I often curled up like a little baby and cried out to Him Who Saves to come and deliver me from my afflictions. Without the Lord’s covering and rescue, I would have folded long ago.
And, I don’t know about you, but I fail way too often when it comes to turning to God to fight my battles. I have a close friend who battles in the spiritual realm things that I believe I need to fight in the physical.
I have no doubt he is doing it God’s way, but it runs so counter to my personality. But I have always recognized that every victory has been God’s doing and not mine.
“And now the day has come to stand before your throne. My heart is trembling, but I’m not alone.”
Standing in front of God will be a terrifying experience but not a fearful one. Imagine seeing God is all his splendor and glory sitting on his throne with millions of souls and angels singing his glory. As the group Mercy Me sang in “I Can Only Imagine”
“Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel? Will I dance for You Jesus, or in awe of You be still? Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing Hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all?”
That’s how I think it will be on that glorious day. It won’t be fearful because I know Jesus is standing beside me declaring my sonship and perfection because of his blood.
“I want to live to hear you say those words. More than silver, more than what this world prefers. Take all I am, it’s all for you. My king, my master, holy forever.”
“Take all I am, it’s all for you.” I hope that has been the cry of my heart for the last 50 years.
What are those “words” the song is referring to?
Now I hear the voice I’ve longed for all my life, calling me home. No more pain or strife. And you said in your word, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little. I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”
Just the thought of that makes me cry tears of amazement, joy, hope and pure fun.
I can picture being able to dance with a new body and sing with new vocal cords. I can see myself approaching his throne and kneeling before him and seeing the joy in his eyes that one of his other sons made it safely home. Maybe it will be OK to just praise him for 10,000 years.
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Mike Kelly is the founding pastor of Bryan’s Grace Community Church (retired) and Board Chairman of Bryan’s Sanctuary Homeless Shelter and Williams County’s Compassion (free) Medical Clinic.