The Things We Leave Behind

I was maybe about twelve years old when my parents took me to a Christian concert. And no, it was not "Switchfoot." They didn't take me to "Jump 5." Nothing that built-up my homeschooled, middle-school ego.

No. Alas. They took me to... a Michael Card concert.

If I remember correctly, we had front row seats.

Michael Card is hardly the musical genius of either Michael Jackson or Mozart. But with chagrin I now admit, many of his song-lyrics are wonderful. And it is now as we pack, having to quickly give a good number of things away, one of those songs plays in the background of my head. The chorus sings, It's hard to imagine the freedom we find from the things that we leave behind.

Confession: I am a chronic materialist. I would guess most of us are. Sinful human nature predisposes us to be so. And certainly, it shows up differently in different people. My dear hubby has a tendency to save absolutely everything, whereas I go from new trend to new trend. Pride, greed, fear... these sins that take up so much of my heart manifest differently at different times. But it is all still sin.

Now, the most delightful surprise occurs in my heart. The more I give away, the more I want to give. The things at the beginning of the "process" that I said I couldn't give away, for "practical reasons" or "nostalgia" or whatever lie I told myself, I can't wait to find it a new home. And this isn't at all to our praise! Rather, it is to the praise of His glory! As we tell our toddler, "Only Jesus can heal a sicky heart." And oh how kindly and gently and faithfully He has healed and is healing mine.

This is a small death of self conquered by the life of Christ. The mortification of sin and the vivification of Christ in me. The "put off, put on" that is found so often instructed to us in the Word. His way is best. His way is always best. So I sing about my own heart with good ol' Michael Card:

Every heart needs to be set free,
from possessions
that hold it so tight
'Cause freedom's not found in the things that we own,
It's the power
to do what is right
Jesus, our only possession,
giving becomes our delight
We can't imagine the freedom we find
from the things we leave behind

For those who prefer to read the full lyrics, here you go. They are well worth a read. And for our friends brave enough to listen to 80's contemporary Christian, the YouTube link is there for you also.

There sits Simon,
so foolishly wise
proudly he's tending his nets
Then Jesus calls,
and the boats drift away
and all that he owns he forgets

More than the nets
he abandoned that day,
he found that his pride was soon drifting away and
It's hard to imagine the freedom we find
from the things we leave behind

Matthew was mindful
of taking the tax, and
pressing the people to pay
Hearing the call,
he responded in faith and
followed the Light and the Way

Leaving the people
so puzzled he found,
the greed in his heart
was no longer around and
it's hard to imagine
the freedom we find
from the things
we leave behind

Every heart needs to be set free,
from possessions
that hold it so tight
'Cause freedom's not found in the things that we own,
It's the power
to do what is right
With Jesus, our only possession,
then giving becomes our delight
We can't imagine the freedom we find
from the things we leave behind

We show a love for the world in our lives
by worshipping goods we possess
Jesus says lay all your treasures aside and
"love God above all the rest"

'Cause when we say 'no'
to the things of the world
we open our hearts
to the love of the Lord and
its hard to imagine
the freedom we find
from the things we leave behind

Oh, and it's hard to imagine
the freedom we find
from the things
we leave behind