Tune My Heart

Wow, I've posted three days in a row now! Quite amazing! I had something that I wanted to share (duh!); I read it a couple days ago in Streams in the Desert and was convicted.

Dear tested and tried believer, it is your mission to walk onto the stage of this world in order to reveal to all of heaven and earth that the music of life lies not in your circumstances or external things but in your own soul.

I felt convicted because so many times I give into complaining. I don't like my circumstances and I want to make sure everyone knows about it! I'm not playing my part very well on this stage.

I have realized a whole new meaning to the words "it is well with my soul." My heart can be hurting and crying out, things can be going wrong, and yet, it can be "well with my soul." The flesh is what is "unwell." The flesh is our old nature. My new nature can be at peace in turmoil. My soul can rest in Christ and be "well." The state of the soul is separate from the state of the heart. It's so easy to be deceived and think that my emotions have to rule my attitude. When Horatio Spafford wrote "It is Well" he was in an incredible amount of pain. He had just lost all his children in a tragic accident. So how could he say all was well? He knew the secret! God gives peace in the midst of sorrow. God gives our soul the grace to overcome our emotions. In other words, God gives our new nature the grace to overcome our old nature.

Which brings me to another well-loved hymn: "Come Thou Fount."

Come Thou fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace.
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.

When I heard this a couple days ago, a new meaning jumped out at me. Tune my heart to sing Thy grace. God is tuning my heart! An instrument doesn't sound very good before it is tuned, and doesn't really sound good while it is being tuned...but after it is tuned, it can produce wonderful sounds. I didn't "sound good" before God started working on me, and I know I don't "sound good" right now, but God is teaching me how to sing His praise. He is tuning my heart to sing to Him. And why shouldn't I sing His praise?? After all, His "streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise."

It was such a good reminder to me; I know I've been complaining a lot lately about things that are going on in my life. But I don't want to be tuned for complaining. I want to be tuned for praising. I need to be singing His grace to those around me.

Come Thou fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace.
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above,
Praise His name, I'm fixed upon it,
Name of God's redeming love.

Hitherto Thy love has blessed me,
Thou hast brought me to this place.
And I know Thy hand will lead me,
Safely home by Thy good grace.
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wandering from the fold of God.
He to rescue me from danger
Bought me with His precious blood.

Oh to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be.
Let Thy goodness like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love.
Here's my heart oh take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

Here's my heart oh take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.