I was tired. It was well past my bedtime. But I was driving. By myself. So tired.
Every single headlight blasted my eye with searing white light . . . nearly blinding me as each car drove by.
I don’t like driving at night. So tired. (Did I already mention that?)
I flipped on the radio. Forgetting that the Engineer’s racecar only gets three stations.
NPR. 80’s. Rap.
I opted for the 80’s. Songs from 20 years prior. The era of awkward middle school dances. White Keds. Bangs. The days of riding the school bus. Of seeing the Engineer for the first time as he ran up the street to catch the bus.
The caffeinated coffee in my ear on this dark night was Paula Abdul.
I’m NOT even going to mention the lyrics to you for fear that they will get stuck inside your brain’s personal radio.
I have no desire to torture you.
This car ride reminded me of the importance of wearing a seat belt. Of guarding my heart.
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. (Proverbs 4:23)
I KNEW EVERY WORD in this song of Paul Abdul’s . . . a song I listened to back in the day when skinny pants were popular and I was only a teenager.
I knew the lyrics. I didn’t sing as if there was a time delay. I sang with Paula, as if to impress her on American Idol.
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45)
Like the interruption of a blaring horn in a quiet parking lot, God pressed the accelerator in my brain as we traveled to church earlier today.
What if . . . what if . . . in twenty years (should the Lord tarry), my children will be able to recite the lyrics from our music, what we dance to, what we fall asleep to?
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11)
I think about all of the things that I struggle with. Shocked at the filth that STILL comes out of my mouth, some 17 years after knowing my Lord.
Yuck still surfaces in my mind. Leaks out of the trunk in my heart.
And I wonder . . . I wonder . . . just maybe . . . prayer upon prayer . . .
Lord? Do you think . . . is it true . . . will it be easier for my children to obey you . . . to follow you . . . to make changes in their life because Your Words are written upon their hearts . . . because in 20 years (should you tarry) when they recall the songs they inadvertently memorized—resurfacing due to a situation that arises when they most need Your encouragement . . . it will be You . . . not the Paula Abdul of 2011 . . . but the God of the beginning, the present, and the end.
You who will keep them awake as they are driving home.
Driving home from dropping their children’s baby sitter off to her house.
I hope so.
We have music. We have countless Bibles. We are blessed. We have resources to help us memorize the Bible.
Because of this abundance . . . I am pleased to introduce to you The Seed Company.
More specifically, One Verse.
Not everyone has the Bible as a resource. As a GPS for their life.
I recently met some people who are passionate about making sure every language has a Bible. Ever person should have a Bible in their tongue.
So that they can teach it to their children.
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 6: 6-7)
You will be hearing more about One Verse from me and others. I’m just giving you a sneak peak.
If you are reading this important blog post in an email, then click on the blog title up above to watch this powerful video.
