These past two weeks at the Gospel Mission we started doing something new: having all the staff on the same page as far as Devotionals go. So our Chaplain decided to do a series on James, where each meal devotion covered the next few verses.
Thinking about these different messages from the book of James (such as trials and their purposes, how our enticements to sin comes from inside us, friendship with the world being enmity with God, the tongue and how hard it is to tame our tongue and ourselves, how it is when we humble ourselves before the Lord that He lifts us up, and this last one of when we repent and return to the Lord, He removes the sickness/trial that He was using to chastise us), here is a James-inspired song that I wrote.
When I think of depression and my past struggles with it, and not wanting to fall back into it, I often picture a chasm that I am standing on the brink of, looking down dizzily into it, and so scared of falling back into the pit I came out of – this song in a way comes out of that idea, but follows the analogy a little further, ie. when the step to backslide is taken and the freefall begins – knowing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only one that can lift us back out of that pit and restore us to Himself when we repent and return to Him.
Freefall
Lord, I know that this is only the beginning.
Lord, I know there is a mark that I have missed.
Lord, I know there’s a war I am not winning.
Lord, I know life can get much worse than this.
Lord, I know my battle’s not with flesh and blood.
Lord, I know that some part of me is filled with pride.
Lord, I know my heart is cold and prone to wander.
Lord, I know that a sinful beast lurks just inside.
I see myself, and I don’t like the picture:
Something is there; corrupt and so hard to tame.
Lord, I’m stumbling – I’m faltering, tripping, falling –
Lord, I know that I only have myself to blame.
I’m falling…
Chorus:
I am in a freefall, Lord, I’m falling;
Falling down, I’m crashing down…
Jesus, I need to know You are always with me.
I need to know it’s You that will fill my cup.
Jesus, I need to know help is on it’s way now.
Lord, I need to know that You will lift me up
…from this fall.
Lord, I know that trials come for a reason.
I hate these struggles that I’m going through.
Lord, I know I should be charged with treason
For loving myself and this world more than You.
Wake up call, I’m falling…
I see, Lord, my fortress was built upon the sand.
I know, I can’t catch these clouds I’m falling through.
I see that You are my only hope now, Lord.
Jesus, I know that I can still depend on You.
I’m calling…
Chorus.
I’m falling, calling out, I’m calling You.
September 18th, 2010
Jerry Bouey
James 4:6-8 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
The good news is we don’t need to fall into sin or backslide. We can choose instead to keep our eyes upon the Lord, stay in His Word, and be fervent in prayer. The following passages contain some excellent promises to help us to do so. And if you have started the freefall into sin, make the choice today to repent and put your eyes back upon the Lord Jesus Christ, and claim the forgiveness and cleansing found in 1 John 1:9.
2 Peter 1:3-11 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 3:17-18 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Jude 24-25 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.