re: July 22 - Sanctification, the death side

I've never thought of sanctification as explicitly as Oswald Chambers explains it.. the process of my "stripping down," down to my totally depraved nakedness; the vulnerability is kind of scary.

This text made actually me think of the book we attempted to read [for cell group]: "The Heart of Worship", by Matt Redman. The second chapter is called "The Undone Worshipper". It tells about worshipping God with a brokenness where God "undoes" us, maybe even leaving us with a thorn in the flesh to remind us of our weakness. It's only in this realization of our nothingness that we can truly worship God.

Matt Redman's story is pretty amazing.. what happened was that he got tendinitis in his right hand, which means not being able to play guitar for 6-7 weeks. For a worship leader, songwriter, a general music person, that is detrimental.. I don't know how difficult it would be for me if I had to give up a similar characteristic so integral to my self. But he only faced it with an attitude of worship, humbly trusting in God.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
– Psalm 51:17