"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.

Song Story: LOOK EAST

LOOK EAST

This song is a promise song- it talks about how just as surely as the sun rises everyday in the east, so too will Yeshua (Jesus) come back for us. And what's more, the Bible says He will return through the East gate in Jerusalem... (this is a great article I found with more details about that) He is literally the SON rising in the east! A tangible picture to give us proof of an unseen truth.

This song had been simmering somewhere in the depths of me somewhere and came out in a flash. I didn't know what I was going to say before I starting singing, but as I started to play my "go to" chords (Am, F, Dm7- ahhh so nice), this melody and lyrics came out:

"my peace I give to you, not as the world giveth, give I to you"

and the chorus with it's strange C to Cminor came out without really thinking about it (think I learned that trick a long time ago from Joni Mitchell's song "Rainy Night House"- must listen to it).

I wanted to take some creative liberty and imagine that Jesus was speaking this promise to me- reassuring me that He was coming back for me.

In the bridge I respond to this promise by saying Psalm 24:7:

"Open up ye gates! Let the King Come in!!!"

and:

"Baruch Haba B'shem Adonai"

(Blessed is He who comes in the name of The Lord)

I had learned this phrase months before I wrote the song- I read somewhere in Jewish culture, at weddings, they say "Bacuch Haba B'shem" Blessed is he who comes! as the groom is coming down to meet his bride. What a cool symbol of Yeshua coming to meet His Bride- all of us who believe!

After I wrote the song I was really excited, but then because it was so different, I feared no one would like it. I wanted to record it, but thought people might think I was crazy. But I pressed on and produced it with a very middle eastern vibe to match the way I was singing and the picture being set in Jerusalem. 

From the responses so far I guess my fears that people wouldn't understand it were unfounded. It seems to be one of the favorites on "Overcome" (the album that it is on). 

I hope it's message is a promise to you- that He is returning for you, just as sure as the sun rose this morning. Baruch Haba B'shem Adonai!

Song Story: BELOVED

Ok where do I start? Many of you know these songs already but if you don't I have sooo much to say.
Basically, my songs are me. They've come from my most intimate struggles with who I am, what I'm doing, what I'm worth, where I've gone wrong and how my life and mistakes have been redeemed again and again by the love of God.

I'm grateful that by being vulnerable and telling the truth, people have been touched. Since the release of my first album "Beloved"- which these songs all came from- I've received literally thousands of emails and messages from people, especially about the song "Beloved".

Well let me tell you, when I wrote it I had no idea that would happen. I was in college, away from home for the first time. It was cold out and I would go to be alone in practice rooms at my college. Night after night I'd play and sing ideas into a little hand held recorder. One night- as if by magic or as if a gift from God came down. I started singing "I'm His Beloved and He's mind- Nothing can separate, no space, no time" The words, chords and the melody simultaneously. If you knew me, and how I so questioned God- you would understand that such a statement was not usual for me to be able to express.

I have no doubt God was delivering a message to me and He's delivered that message through me (and many other believers) only by his mercy. The message I was to sing time and time again, from one side of the country to the other, in churches big and small, in the studio, and alone in my practice room. See, I think God had me write and sing this because He knew I'd have to say it over and over again. Maybe I'd really get it. He loves me.

Since then, I've found it and I've lost it and I've gone forward and I've gone backward but the phrase "I'm His Beloved and He is mine" is now my epitaph. It's my perspective, my true North- it's the knowledge that guides me back to the path to life.

Oh that you would sing it as your own phrase. That's what I wish for you.

I made this video without realizing the significance of the white dress in the video and the romantic feel it would take on. It's of course reminiscent of a bride and a wedding. He is the groom and we are the Bride- we are His and He is ours. Not because we were worthy but because He makes us worthy by association with Himself.

Friend of The Bridegroom

I WANT TO BE A BEST MAN

I don't think I meditate on the jealousy of God enough. One of His names is "Jealous". Wow that's a little scary. Reminds me of this concept I learned from Bob Sorge- it's all about being a friend of the BrideGroom (who is Jesus).

Jesus is in love with His people (called His Bride) in fact I think that's why God created marriage- to illustrate our relationship with Him. Now imagine the Bride is coming toward her groom or preparing for the wedding and some lousy best man tries to flirt with the Bride and steal her affection- even seduce her! That would be absolutely terrible- unbelievable. Yet isn't that what we do sometimes? We are supposed to be like John The Baptist who called Himself a "friend of the Bridegroom" a best man, a go to guy, pushing the Groom front and center, making the wedding day run smoothly. 


I'm so sorry for the times I've gotten out in front of the Groom and tried to steal His Brides attention and affection in ways that I've dressed or spoken. Or if I've just been an absent best man, not there to put things in place and usher in the marriage of the Bride to the Groom. 


Let's ask ourselves "are we helping or hindering this marriage? Are we hurting the Groom or His Beloved Bride in any way" The last thing I want is to get in the way of the affection our Almighty Groom has for His people.