I Am Dirt, Claimed By Light

I'm listening to The Glorious Unseen currently, as I work. I switch between a pretty wide swath of what I consider, "listen-able" Christian music - stuff that will edify, encourage, and not distract me as I plug along in the office. Often, I'll turn the stuff off entirely; everywhere we go these days, there's ambient noise. It's to such an extent, I feel, that most people have fewer than two entirely original thoughts in a day - sometimes much, much fewer!

The quietness that comes from silence lends itself to growth, prayer, and pursuit of God. Silence isn't quietness in and of itself, but it's a giant leap in the right direction.

A line from The Glorious Unseen struck me, though. I'm listening to their album, "The Hope the Lies Within You," and the track "Heavyhearted" came on. It's a raw, open song about the shame we carry with us as we climb the hill of Golgotha, only to be stunned by the blinding light of grace as God reaches out his righteous hand to take our muddy, sin-stained mitt.

And they sang, "When I am down in the dirt/you come and claim me."

We're claimed - claimed! - by God. When we're the most despicable - the most unlovable - the most down-trodden, hated and broken: that's when Christ steps from the splendor of Heaven to walk the dusty roads of ancient Israel - to bear the splintered cross of our own sin - and to die the exacerbated, lonely death of our own punishment: to claim us.

To claim us!

It brings to mind the parables of the lost things in Scripture: the lost coin - the prodigal son - the lost sheep. Each of those things are valuable, treasured thing. And in each parable, they're claimed at no loss to the owner. But God claiming us? Dirty, insolent, angry, rebellious and sinful - and at such great loss and pain to himself - the immutable and transcendent God? It's beyond comprehension. It's unbelievable. It's life changing.

It's grace.

Praise him today for the great claim of love he has placed on your dirty heart; in humility submit to his great love; and with passion, serve him wholeheartedly. Truly, he is a good God!