God’s GRACE = Unearned FAVOR from God…

That’s what I experienced today singing in front of 12,000 of my fellow State Farm Agents and their spouses/guests.  It was amazing!  It started last night as I was trying to fall asleep, nervous as all get out.  Ironically, as a company we are talking about confidence and growing in our confidence in our profession, meeting customer needs and really being there for people in genuine relationship and concern for their well-being.

God definitely gave me the confidence I needed.  What helped me the most though was how God helped me fall asleep last night!  I simply thought through some of the passages of Scripture that have helped me rest in the past.  One of course is that anxiety does us no good but God gives His beloved rest.  Love that one.  Last night and today though it was the classic Psalm 23.  I was slowly chewing on that chapter last night and I got to “He leads me beside still waters…”  I couldn’t help thinking of Revelation and the picture of the glassy sea in Heaven, God’s presence giving us this clear calm and awe.  I become totally limp and so happy at the thought of calm water in the presence of our God.  Beautifully I woke up to that same vision and spent the morning simply thinking that over and turning it over in my heart.  I was more calm than I think I’ve been when leading worship and singing in other contexts of no more than maybe 400 people.  God’s awesome, isn’t He?!

Well, I’ll wrap up by simply directing you to where I got the image for this post and a wonderful blog post on http://www.DesiringGod.org you can find by PRESSING HERE.

John Piper continues to lead a team of communicators to put out wonderful content from God’s Word about finding our deepest pleasure and purpose in knowing and worshiping God Himself.  In this article we are reminded that when gifts are given, our primary focus isn’t the gift but the One Who gave us these gifts.  I feel this way tonight about getting to sing that song for my wife.  As much as I deeply adore my bride and deeply enjoyed singing for her, I’m most captivated by our Awesome Savior, Jesus Christ.  I’m won over and put to a place of awe and worship and deep contentment in His presence.  What an awesome God we know and find our satisfaction in, friends!

Please do read this article when you have a chance.

Sweet dreams!

– Torrey