Making the Secular Sacred

I think as western believers we do a decent job at keeping things in categories. We separate our lives into different categories and aren't very comfortable when thing collide or overlap. Many Christians see things as "Christian" or "Non-Christian". Music, Art, movies, books....friends...fall into either category.

What about donkeys? God used an ass to communicate to Balaam. I believe God uses what we consider "secular" to reveal Himself, bring us to worship, and find Truth about Him. He is God, after all.

Today is Ash Wednesday. I want to challenge you to keep your eyes open this week, our first week of Lent, for new ways to hear from God and see His Glory around us. Let Him speak to you outside of "quiet time". Hearing from God can become another category in our lives that we don't let spill over into others. Let's look for God this week in the "secular."

I'm posting the lyrics to a John Mayer song called "Say." Several months ago I was experiencing major anxiety, mostly about Maegan's health. This song came on the radio and immediately I knew God was speaking to me. I doubt Mayer was talking about God, but God was talking to me. I felt such sweet relief hearing God tell me, "say what you need to say."

Take all of your wasted honor
Every little past frustration
Take all of your so-called problems,
Better put ‘em in quotations

Say what you need to say [x8]

Walking like a one man army
Fighting with the shadows in your head
Living out the same old moment
Knowing you’d be better off instead,
If you only could . . .

Say what you need to say [x8]

Have no fear for giving in
Have no fear for giving over
You’d better know that in the end
Its better to say too much
Then never say what you need to say again

Even if your hands are shaking
And your faith is broken
Even as the eyes are closing
Do it with a heart wide open

Say what you need to say [x24]