With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I've been pondering what I'm most thankful for this year. There are so many random things for which to be thankful, but as I met with a bride yesterday to plan out the music for her wedding, I was struck by one overwhelming thought of gratitude.
The bride had requested the classic song "All The Things You Are" by Oscar Hammerstein. I've always loved this song...but for some reason, it caught my attention yesterday in a special way.
For the last few months, I've had Romans 12:21 on my mind a lot. The latter part of that scripture says "overcome evil with good". Perhaps it's just a normal part of getting older, but evil things tend to weigh my spirit down more now than ever before. Whether it's our country, the world, people around me, circumstances, my own weaknesses.....I find myself asking God often "how can these things be overcome?"
And His answer is always the same...."Overcome evil with good"....Not my own goodness, but His goodness. For every evil thing, there is an opposite and good antidote...And that goodness is Christ. He told us in His own words in John 16:33, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world". No matter what the evil, the "bad", the weakness, the shortcomings....He is the Overcomer of them all.
As I drove home from my appointment with this bride, I thought about God and All The Things He Is, and all the ways Jesus overcomes any and all evil that surrounds us. When I got home I grabbed my notebook and started writing. All the paper in the world could not contain ALL the things He is....but these are just a few that were on my mind yesterday.
All The Things He Is
I am war ... He is Peace.
I am death ... He is Life.
I am adrift ... He is the Anchor.
I am ripped and torn ... He is the Repairer of the breach.
I am loneliness ... He is Friendship.
I am criticism ... He is Grace.
I am condemnation ... He is Mercy.
I am prison ... He is Liberty.
I am the enemy ... He is the Ally.
I am accused ... He is the Advocate.
I am the storm ... He is the calm Sunshine.
I am sour ... He is Sweet.
I am cold ... He is Warmth.
I am a weed ...He is the Garden, the Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley.
I am addiction ... He is Deliverance.
I am exposed ... He is Shelter.
I am a solo ... He is an Orchestra.
I am an outcast ... He is the Embracer.
I am hate ... He is Love.
I am cut off ... He is the Root.
I am fractured ... He is the Grafter.
I am hunger ... He is the Feast.
I am discontent ...He is Contentment.
I am a lie ... He is Truth.
I am cheap ... He is Extravagant.
I am distant ... He is Close, Inseparably Intertwined.
I am defined by mistakes ... He defines me simply as "Mine".
I am rejection ... He is Acceptance.
I am silence ... He is the Voice.
I am noise ... He is Quiet.
I am dissonance ... He is beautiful Music, in perfect tune.
I am suffocation ... He is Air.
I am fear ... He is Security.
I am weary ... He is Rest.
I am isolation ... He is Companionship.
I am harsh ... He is Gentle.
I am hurried ... He Lingers.
I am "Do Not Disturb" ... He is "Welcome! Please Come In".
I am despair ... He is Hope.
I am sadness ... He is Joy.
I am numbness ... He is Feeling.
I am facts & knowledge ... He is Wonder.
I am selfish ... He is Generous.
I am a hoarder ... He Willingly Gave His Life Away For Others.
I am an orphan ... He is Family.
I am a facade ... He is Authentic.
I am bankrupt ... He is Rich.
I am foolishness ... He is Wisdom.
I am needy ... He is Provision.
I am a widow ... He is a Husband.
I am empty ... He is Full.
I am lost ... He is The Way.
I am thirsty ... He is Water.
I am darkness ... He is Light.
I am black & white ... He is Color.
I am hurt ... He is Comfort.
I am sick ... He is the Healer.
I am debt ... He is the Redeemer.
I am the problem ... He is the Solution.
I am anarchy ... He is Authority.
I am a pauper ... He is the Prince.
I am attack ... He is Defense.
I am starvation ... He is Satisfaction.
I am a heavy burden ... He is the Carrier and Lifter of Weights.
I am exhaustion ... He is Rest.
I am pride ... He is Humility.
I am weakness ... He is Strength.
I am temptation ... He is deliverance.
I am danger ... He is Protection.
I am exclusion ... He is Inclusion.
I am me ... He is Jesus, the Christ.
I am nothing ... He is Everything.
For this, I am thankful.