Concurrence

It happens to all of us from time to time.
I always think of it as God getting my attention.
I always imagine it as God trying to teach me something.
We can be pretty stubborn at times.

The way God gets my attention is through concurrence.
Concurrence is the simultaneous occurrence of events or circumstances.
It happens to me quite often.
Hours later, sometimes days later, I realize that I was being taught.

Often, I will read something about whatever is being pressed upon me.
I may hear a song that deals with the same theme.
I go to church and the sermon will touch on the subject as well.
There have been times when I want to throw up my hands and say, I get it, God!

I’m actually grateful for concurrence.
I’m actually grateful that God uses so many different ways to teach me.
How I wish that I could be more teachable the first time.
How I wish that I didn’t need a book, and a song, and a sermon to get the point across.

I was driving today and listening to my Apple music.
Occasionally, I will listen to a playlist that is made for me.
Today was such a day.
I was enjoying listening to Mercy Me hearing songs I knew and a few that I didn’t know.

The title of the song came up on the screen.
So Long Self.
I found myself singing along.
The words of the song began to hit my heart.

Well if I come across a little bit distant
It’s just because I am
Things just seem to feel a little bit different
You understand
Believe it or not but life is not apparently
About me anyway
But I have met the One who really is worthy
So let me say

So long, self
Well, it’s been fun, but I have found somebody else
So long, self
There’s just no room for two
So you are gonna have to move
So long, self
Don’t take this wrong but you are wrong for me, farewell
Oh well, goodbye, don’t cry
So long, self

There’s just no room for two, kept playing over and over in my head.
I was pondering what that meant as I was driving.
There’s no room for two of us on the throne of my life.
There is only one Master, one Lord, one King and it is not me.

I got out of my car and walked a bit to where I needed to go.
I could picture a throne and I was not on it.
Oh, I have my days.
I have my days where I think I deserve to be on it; they are usually the days that are miserable.

I got back in the car and my music came on right away.
Another song from the playlist was playing.
The name came up on the screen.
In The Blink Of An Eye, by Mercy Me.

You put me here for a reason.
You have a mission for me.
You knew my name and You called it.
Long before I learned to breathe.

Sometimes I feel disappointed
By the way I spend my time.
How can I further Your kingdom
When I’m so wrapped up in mine?

The question was on repeat.
How can I further Your kingdom when I’m so wrapped up in mine?
Those words hit even closer to home.
Those lyrics posed a question that went right to my heart.

What was God trying to tell me?
It was no accident that a random playlist, that was made for me, had a theme.
It was no accident that two songs had a similar message.
So long self and my kingdom versus God’s seemed to be the point He was getting across.

I wanted to say, I got it, God!
I see what You’re trying to teach me.
However, I knew that would be a false statement.
Just because concurrence made me aware of the theme did not mean, I got it.

Not by a long shot.
Who was on the throne of my life?
I know that I don’t want to be.
I thought I had stepped down from that throne a long time ago, but did I?

It was a day of errands.
Each time I got back in the car, my music began to play.
After the random playlist was finished, I chose music from my own collection.
I chose a Keith and Kristyn Getty worship album.

Suddenly, I heard Kristyn’s sweet Irish accent reading an Irish prayer.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
I had heard this prayer of Francis of Assisi before.
However, today the words washed over me.

As I arise today,
may the strength of God pilot me,
the power of God uphold me,
the wisdom of God guide me.
May the eye of God look before me,
the ear of God hear me,
the word of God speak for me.
May the hand of God protect me,
the way of God lie before me,
the shield of God defend me,
the host of God save me.
May Christ shield me today.
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit,
Christ when I stand,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Amen.

There it was.
The words, me and I, are throughout the entire prayer.
However, Francis wrote them without a bit of self-centered-ness.
Francis prayed this prayer so that every aspect of self pointed to Christ.

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me.
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me.
How I want that!
How I want that to be true of my life!

God taught me Truth today as I was doing my daily errands.
I was so thankful that He gave me the ears to hear His Truth in three different ways.
The same Truth was unveiled a little bit at a time.
How can I further Your kingdom when I’m so wrapped up in mine?

That was the main point He was trying to teach me.
Self is fine when it is tightly woven in Him and not me.
Self is fine when people see and hear Him when they see and hear me.
Self is fine when my gifts are used to advance His kingdom not mine.

There’s just no room for two.
So long self.
May Christ shield me today.
From me.