Where Would We Be?

My favorite Christian artist, actually my favorite recording artist period, is TobyMac.  Toby writes like a poet and plays music in the hip hop genre of fast beats and thumping bass.  Great music to vacuum to.  He never ceases to amaze me each time a new album arises.  He’s been making #1 songs from #1 albums since his original band, DCTalk, hit the stage in 1988.  And yet with each consecutive album, there it is again.  Solid Truth.  I say Truth with a capital “T” because it is the greater truth of God, not Toby’s. 

His latest album “Eye On It” and it’s respective single by the same name has really got me thinking this Advent/Christmas Season.  The chorus goes like this: And where would I be, without You? / I’d be packin’ my bags when I need to stay / I’d be chasin’ every breeze that blows my way / I’d be buildin’ my kingdom to just watch it fade away / It’s so true.  Have you taken a moment this season to think about where you would be if Jesus was never born?  How his life has affected you and your life?  How it has affected your family, your friends, those your life connects with every day?  I can answer those questions pretty easily.

Where would I be? I’d be packin’ my bags when I need to stay. I remember several times when my husband and I struggled.  It was the strength of Christ and all I learned from his life here on earth that gave me the courage to stay and not walk away.  Instead I worked at forgiveness, patience, and sacrifice in order to make my marriage work.  And the payoffs??  Oh my! My marriage is awesome and wonderful and full of love and grace and joy today.  I am so very thankful I didn’t pack those bags.

Where would I be? I’d be chasin’ every breeze that blows my way.  I have done it before I lived my life for Christ, and I know I would have done it again.  But since Christ came into my life and shared with me that I was a daughter to the King of all kings, a princess to the One who created all things, my need to chase breezes has subsided.  I still have urges from time to time to pick up and move on, but that urge is quickly replaced with reason, compassion, and thoughtfulness for why God has me where I currently am.  I can trust his Spirit to guide me and leave the breeze chasing to the fall leaves. 

Where would I be?  I’d be buildin’ my kingdom just to watch it fade away.  So true.  I have put hours and hours, seven days a week into building my kingdom and I’ll tell you what, it was for nothing.  It was my dream, but honestly, it was an empty dream.  When I wanted to own an art gallery and worked three jobs to do it, and moved into our third building in less than a year, I thought “this is it!”  But it wasn’t it.  I worked 12 to 15 hour days to create something that came deep from my heart, only to have others want me to create them another that matched their couch.  The consumer’s desire dictated my work and more often than not, by the time I did everything they wanted, it wasn’t my work anymore anyway.  Building my own kingdom left me empty and discouraged.  Now that I am doing what God called and created me to be doing with my life, my art doesn’t have to please anyone.  I can create what I want and it doesn’t have to match anyone’s couch! 

Those are just a few of my responses to Toby’s latest masterpiece.  What about you?  Where would you be without the One that was born to save you?  Where would you be without the baby Jesus being saved from genocide as a toddler?  Where would you be without Jesus’ mother raising her son to follow his Father in heaven’s will to go into ministry?  Where would you be without living a life of love here on earth, that we might know God in a much greater way?  Where would you be without Jesus giving his life that you might have life abundant, pushed down, shaken, and flowing over?  Spend some time at the manger this Advent/Christmas Season answering these questions and hope to see you soon, as we all celebrate together the coming of the One who changed it all.  Blue Christmas (for those struggling) at 5 pm and “It’s Not Your Birthday!” Candlelight Service at 7 pm this Christmas Eve at Concord United Methodist Church.  Where would you be without him?

http://youtu.be/8qGa5rIOB28