Tag: “Hosanna” by Hillsong United

Aligning with God

Things just fit together and function optimally when they are in correct alignment—whether it is our spinal columns, the wheels on our cars, or the foundations and frames of our houses. It turns out that having proper alignment in our spiritual lives is also important if we want to have a healthy relationship with God.

As an impatient twelve-year-old, I couldn’t wait to get braces. Blissfully ignorant about the pain involved with bringing my teeth into alignment, I longed to have a mouth full of metal. When the orthodontist finally put them on, it didn’t take long to realize that braces weren’t any fun. He predicted my teeth would be straight within two years, but with each passing month, the end date never seemed to get any closer. Despite the orthodontist’s best efforts, my teeth weren’t moving. Perplexed, he finally brought in a specialist to examine me. Together, they concluded that I had poor “tongue rest posture.” Unlike most people, I rested my tongue on the bottom of my mouth instead of the top. Each time I swallowed, that small but powerful muscle pushed outward with such force that it prevented the braces from moving my teeth into perfect alignment. 

The prediction of having them off within two years was put on hold until the problem could be solved. After months of therapy with a specialist, my tongue finally began behaving and the braces started moving my teeth according to plan. They ended up being on from the start of sixth grade until mid-way through my sophomore year in high school, which was four and a half years altogether. I still remember how slippery and smooth my teeth felt when they were finally free of metal– I couldn’t contain my smile for days.

Shortly after getting my braces off, the orthodontist gave me a set of retainers to keep my teeth from shifting. I noticed that if I went too many nights without wearing them, I’d have trouble fitting them onto my teeth. I learned that even after having braces, teeth never stay fixed in place permanently. The only way to maintain alignment is to wear retainers consistently, which I still do to this day. (I certainly don’t want braces again.)

Having teeth that are aligned isn’t just about cosmetic appeal, but structural soundness and dental health. This principle stands true for many aspects of the physical world—things just fit together and function optimally when they’re in correct alignment—whether it is our spinal columns, the wheels on our cars, or the foundations and frames of our houses.

It turns out that having proper alignment in our spiritual lives is also important if we want to have a healthy relationship with God. Bible teacher Priscilla Shirer explains that “it is the surrendered heart that rolls out the red carpet for God to speak.” So, if we want to discern the voice of God, we must continually align ourselves with His will. Like a spiritual retainer, studying God’s Word brings our hearts and minds back into alignment with His plans and purposes. 

I think Jesus sheds light on the process of aligning ourselves with God in this passage: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” (John 15:7-10, NIV)

The word “remain” can also be translated “abide” or “stay.” This implies a long-term commitment to walking consistently with Jesus. When we remain in Jesus, we obey Him through our words, actions and attitudes, revealing that we are following Him earnestly. Keeping His commands surrounds us with the protection of His love and grace. Much like my retainers corral my teeth and keep them from moving out of alignment, staying closely connected to Jesus enables us to obey Him. This is not only for our good, but for His glory.

Conversely, when we stray from God, we fall out of alignment with His purposes. We begin to make plans and decisions using worldly wisdom and selfish motives. I didn’t realize my teeth were moving until my retainers stopped fitting easily in my mouth. Similarly, the changes resulting from poor choices may be subtle at first, but the shift out of alignment with the Lord is inevitable. And if something is skewing that alignment, He’ll wait patiently until we realize it and are ready for Him to help us change. We can’t move forward spiritually while ignoring issues that need to be addressed.

To discern God’s voice, we must walk with Him consistently, putting into practice the things we discover in His Word. This means we need to be studying the Bible, talking about it with others, and involving ourselves in a community of believers. If you’re just beginning this journey, don’t let this overwhelm you. Keep pursuing God and asking Him to align your heart with His. Trust Him to lead you one step at a time.

The song “Hosanna” by Hillsong United has some striking lyrics that exemplify the difference between aligning with God’s will and asking Him to align with yours:

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdom’s cause
As I walk from earth into eternity

Listen to the song and make it your prayer today.

Songwriters: Brooke Ligertwood, Hosanna lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group

Priscilla Shirer, Discerning the Voice of God, Lifeway Press, 2017.


Praying God’s Will for Your Circumstances- What Love Is Week 5

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Waking up in the dim morning light, I listened to the rain pelting our tent. It was the last day of our church’s mission trip to Mexico and the first day I’d overslept. My muscles were sore from three days of manual labor and my head foggy from not sleeping well. The sunny weather that started the week had given way to grey cloud cover that eventually turned to a steady rain. I groaned inwardly but tried to be positive as I prepared to wake the six teenage girls in my tent.

Before climbing out of my sleeping bag I prayed silently, asking God to give me strength. Later, I realized my prayer fit perfectly with what I’d been learning in First John. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” (1 John 5:14-15, NIV)

I could have focused on our circumstances and prayed for the rain to stop. Instead, I focused on our hearts, praying for things God promises in his Word. I knew he would give us strength, because I’d been assured of it in Paul’s writings: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13, NIV)

I also knew that to make it through the day our group of 275 students and adult leaders had to remain positive and encouraging. We needed to work in unity and to look beyond the wet day of physical labor that awaited us. It was vital to keep the right perspective as we slopped through the mud to finish building fourteen houses for impoverished families. We couldn’t control our circumstances, but we could control our attitudes about them.

It was our sixth day away from home and our fourth day of work. Tempers could easily have flared as people were worn down from working hard and being away from the comforts of home. And yet, instead of grumbling about the less-than-ideal conditions, the group rallied to make the best of it and to support one another. This, too, was God’s will and exemplified Paul’s writings in Colossians:

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (Colossians 3:12-14, NIV)

I thanked God as I worked with my team carrying buckets of cement, sand and water to hand-mix stucco for the exterior walls. They smiled and sang, encouraging each other and making jokes to keep the mood light, despite the continued rainfall and the challenging conditions. Again, I realized God’s will was clearly evident in their behavior as I thought of another verse: “Do everything without grumbling or arguing.” (Philippians 2:14, NIV)

As the afternoon wore on, most groups in the neighborhood were putting the final touches on their houses. However, one group was scrambling to finish due to a week full of unexpected setbacks. Since my team was finished, I walked over and joined with people from other build teams to lend them a hand. Tension hung in the air as we worked to finish the house. Ankle-deep mud and cramped workspaces made it difficult to move without falling. Dogs and playing children ran through the site, creating an even more chaotic environment. I knew the team leaders were feeling anxious about finishing the house by the end of the day so I prayed God would bring a spirit of peace to them and to the site. Later I realized I’d known to pray for peace because I’d read it many times before: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV)

By the time the buses arrived, every house was finished. More importantly, the build teams had maintained positive attitudes and willing spirits throughout the day. We’d kept our eyes on showing God’s love to the homeowners and to one another.

Climbing onto buses at the end of the day we were wet, sore, and tired, but filled with joy. We had given our circumstances to God and had prayed for his will to be done. The end result was that fourteen families had solid homes to shelter them and 275 students and adult volunteers experienced the power of being used by God to accomplish his will.

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That rainy day in Mexico will stand out as the most memorable one of the week for me. I saw the power of praying God’s will and recognized that prayer isn’t about removing obstacles or increasing our comfort, but about aligning with God’s plans

Do you want a confident prayer life? Make it a priority to know God’s will by studying his Word. Then stand back and be amazed as he answers.

Click on the link to enjoy Hillsong United’s song “Hosanna.” Make the lyrics your prayer today.

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