This morning God spoke to me as I walked into town, listening to The Beautiful Exchange (Hillsong).
It has been a long week, I've felt heavy hearted and burdened by a few situations in my life and those close to me. Sometimes things just feel so huge and I just felt tiny, inadequate and helpless in the face of them.
The lyrics of the song are:
You were near
Though I was distant
Disillusioned
I was lost and insecure
Still mercy fought
For my attention
You were waiting at the door
Then I let You in
Trading your life
For my offenses
For my redemption
You carried all the blame
Breaking the curse
Of our condition
Perfection took our place
When only love could make a way
You gave Your life in a beautiful exchange
My burden erased
My life forgiven
There is nothing that could take this love away
My only desire
And sole ambition
Is to love You just the same
When only love could make a way
You gave Your life in a beautiful exchange
When only love could break these chains
You gave Your life in a beautiful exchange
Holy are You, God
Holy is Your name
With everything I've got
My heart will sing how I love You
As I listened, I felt something change in my spirit, as I realised that that beautiful exchange counts for today. The cross is outside of time, and happened once, and for all. But I'm still locked in time (for now) and therefore I haven't yet felt all of the pain, suffering, shame or sin that Jesus bore for me.
In moments like this where I feel overwhelmed by it all, I can come to the cross, and receive that beautiful exchange again. And again.
He takes my sin, he sets me free. He takes my pain and gives me peace. He takes the ache in my heart and makes it whole. He gives me beauty for ashes, joy for sorrow. Hope instead of despair. Life instead of death.
There is no more beautiful exchange than that, and today, I receive it again.
It has been a long week, I've felt heavy hearted and burdened by a few situations in my life and those close to me. Sometimes things just feel so huge and I just felt tiny, inadequate and helpless in the face of them.
The lyrics of the song are:
You were near
Though I was distant
Disillusioned
I was lost and insecure
Still mercy fought
For my attention
You were waiting at the door
Then I let You in
Trading your life
For my offenses
For my redemption
You carried all the blame
Breaking the curse
Of our condition
Perfection took our place
When only love could make a way
You gave Your life in a beautiful exchange
My burden erased
My life forgiven
There is nothing that could take this love away
My only desire
And sole ambition
Is to love You just the same
When only love could make a way
You gave Your life in a beautiful exchange
When only love could break these chains
You gave Your life in a beautiful exchange
Holy are You, God
Holy is Your name
With everything I've got
My heart will sing how I love You
As I listened, I felt something change in my spirit, as I realised that that beautiful exchange counts for today. The cross is outside of time, and happened once, and for all. But I'm still locked in time (for now) and therefore I haven't yet felt all of the pain, suffering, shame or sin that Jesus bore for me.
In moments like this where I feel overwhelmed by it all, I can come to the cross, and receive that beautiful exchange again. And again.
He takes my sin, he sets me free. He takes my pain and gives me peace. He takes the ache in my heart and makes it whole. He gives me beauty for ashes, joy for sorrow. Hope instead of despair. Life instead of death.
There is no more beautiful exchange than that, and today, I receive it again.
