Last year, about this same time, I was in middle of an uncomfortable situation. Unemployment. It was especially bothersome because I had lost my job as a worship leader. That's right. I got fired from a church. Not only had I been dismissed from what I do best, I felt like I had failed when it came to leading people into the presence of God. How was I going to face people and have them ask "What did he do to get fired from a church?"(Notice how many times the word "I" was just used?)
I came home that night, sat in my favorite recliner, and reached over for what would ordinarilly be the remote. Instead, there sat my Bible. It was as if God was saying "We really need to talk.". Fortunately, I had just heard an evangelist say something that corrected everything I was feeling. "We're so busy getting our prayers off the floor and through the roof. Make no mistake, if our prayers don't begin in the throne room of God, they aren't going anywhere!"
My ego had taken priority. Not intentionally, mind you. It never dawned on me that maybe God had placed a hurdle in my life to see how I was going to react. Was I going to stop and cower in fear? Was I going to recklessly barrell through it with no concern of how it might effect someone else? Wouldn't it have been better for me to pause, if only for a split second, to seek God's hand in His infinite wisdom to guide me?
Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane, capillaries burst with grief, praying that this "cup" be passed from Him. He didn't want to be beaten, scourged, spit on, crucified, or anything of the sort. He did, however, have the wisdom to say "nevertheless, not My will but Thine be done" because he understood that what He was to do was to glorify the Father.
In Mark 10:32-45 Jesus mapped it out AGAIN for the desciples and the command still applied. FOLLOW ME. After Jesus explained what was to happen, James and John were quick to say that they wanted to share in His glory. I dare to think that they probably didn't put alot of thought into what it was going to cost them. By the way, James was beheaded and John starved to death alone on the isle of Patmos! That being said, I believe they went to their death confident in knowing that their trials on earth were temporary. It was their eternity with the God that sacrificed his only Son for them that mattered most.
"Cover Me" was given to me in the midst of a terrible storm. It was only when I looked to Him that the winds and waves stood still and I found peace. My prayer is that this song speaks to you as it has me.
May God bless and keep you,
Kevin