Nachfolge

There is a quiet resistance these days to the idea of the holiness of desolation. I recently finished reading and studying "The Cost of Discipleship" (in German: Nachfolge) a profound book by the WW II martyr and theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In his elaboration of the Sermon on the Mount, Bonhoeffer writes of the absolute necessity to not only pray in secret, but give ourselves spiritually, mentally, and physically to God in secret.

We are intertwined as human beings, spirit, soul, body, and flesh. We cannot detach ourselves from our 5 senses. Christ commands us to humble obedience and service to the Father. He commands us to suffer ourselves for the sake of the Kingdom of God. There is no nationalism that outweighs the Kingdom of God. There is no pride in country that can ever push aside our service to God.

And yet, we are beings intertwined in the flesh. The music we hear must be to drive us closer to God. That which we see must serve to stimulate our existence into building the Kingdom. That which we love must be, first and foremost, the will of God and God's presence in other people.

I am here to bring others to God. To help bring music, thoughts, sights, and feelings that will stimulate the mind and the body towards a holier existence. I have no illusions as to the size of my audience, but I will press onwards nonetheless. Because God is far, far greater than I could ever imagine myself to be.

to never let go.

Now we sit, and think, and write. Three weeks into grad school classes and the Word of God is surrounding me from all sides! Music had taken somewhat of a back seat, and yet tomorrow I lead worship for a wedding and Sunday night I'm assisting at a service. The plans God must have in store...I can only walk in faith, in love, in hope of His promise and care.

On top of all this, my wife is pregnant! A little boy! A new school, a new year, and our first child. 'Wow' barely scratches the surface. But what love!

One of my favorite songs over the past year has been David Crowder's "Never Let Go." Near the end of the song (depending how you play it), a building backdrop of instruments and vocals surrounds the simple phrase "oh what love," repeated over and over again.

Oh what love
Oh what love
Oh what love

In joy and pain
In sun and rain
You're the same
Oh you never let go
Never let go
You never let go

Download the song on iTunes, listen to it on youtube, learn to play it yourself, or hear someone else play it...just experience it. There are few worship songs I can dive into wholeheartedly every time I play it.

Praise God who never, ever lets go.