"I'm Getting Closer"_ Lara Landon Blog and Music Video

There was a young girl proudly standing on the top of a mountain. She could see for miles in every direction- from where she had just come from and where she was headed. The sun was shining and her destination was only two more ridges beyond. She thought to herself "I've finally come to the top of this mountain and I have a vision of my destination! I can see it! Now if I just cross through two more valleys and two more mountain peaks I will be there!" 

She descended from the peak and into the first valley. Rushes of cold wind whipped through the rocks on either side. The lower she traveled the darker it grew. The sun now became completely blocked out. Sliding rocks and jagged drops frightened her and with each slip her confidence waned. 

The girl couldn't turn back but felt paralyzed by fear to move forward. Darkness covered the valley. She huddled between two big rocks and shivered as the night sounds tormented her. "Why didn't I stay on the mountain top? I don't think I can make it up this next ridge without falling. I'm scared Lord why did you have to put valleys of darkness, danger and difficulties between me and my destination?" she thought out loud.

A warm breeze enveloped the girl as she cried in the dark.  "I am with you, I will never leave you or forsake you. You can't see me but I've sent The Helper to you. He's been with you this whole way. He will be with you through this valley and the mountain tops until the end when you do see me." A beautiful voice replied. He continued "You thought when you could see what was before you on the mountain top that you were close to your destination, but I assure you that even here in the valley although it may not look it, you are closer to me than you ever have been before."

The girl began crying, pleading with the invisible voice "Lord, please just take me to my destination, fly me over these valleys and ridges. I'm weak. I'm afraid and I don't have what it takes to go through them!"

The kind voice answered "No, you are not as strong as you will be when this journey is over. This is what I meant by taking up your cross and following me. This is sharing in my suffering and it's the only way you will ever truly know me. You may feel rejection, humiliation and loneliness on this journey but do not despair. Remember, accepting this cross and following me is one in the same with taking my yoke upon you that is easy and light. You will feel the pain of the valleys, but you will also have the strength to scale these mountains. You will not fall. You will reach me and I will be your reward. Will you trust me and accept this difficult journey?" 

"Be it done to me as you say. I've tasted your love and it is worth this pain. If to know you I must go through valleys as well mountain tops, I will. I trust you." The girl replied. The warm wind was gone and the chill returned. The girls physical body shivered but her heart was aflame. The most beautiful voice of her Beloved spoke to her in the valley and it would sustain her until the next mountain peak when she could see her destination again.

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Remember when you are in a valley, you are closer to Him than you have ever been. Savor His love and promises that will sustain you in the dark times until your next "mountain top experience". And know the reward of becoming more and more acquainted with the love and provision of Jesus through the valleys is worth the cost of carrying your cross and following Him.

CLOSER lyrics by Lara Landon

"I'm getting closer, closer to you Lord

I haven't seen you

but I know I know you more

I keep on walking

still have miles to go

but as I look back on my long and narrow road

I'm getting… Closer"

Video Link: http://youtu.be/UwKw_dPEA9Q

Embed: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UwKw_dPEA9Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

Thinking about the story of Jesus being such a humble servant/leader that He would wash His disciples feet really confounds me. Especially in light of my last post on watching the movie "God Of Wonders". He holds the universe in His hands and yet chooses to serve us? In our most vulnerable, dirty, embarrassing places? That is the God of Love that I want to know even more. His loving kindness draws us in. 

Jesus can serve in such humility because "He knew He had come from God"- when we know who we are in Christ we can serve freely... 

John 13

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?”he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

God Of Wonders

NEW MOVIE ADDED! Feb 15 2012

I'm in awe right now watching "God Of Wonders" on Netflix. I looked up the youtube preview of the movie for you. I encourage you to purchase this and watch it! It's hard to even grasp any part of how big, creative and powerful God is- but what is even harder to understand is why He would love us? Why He would lower Himself to save us? The only thing more awe-inspiring than His power is His love for us!