Do you every get bogged down in life?  So caught up or even drowning in the daily grind or struggle, wondering when life is going to get even a little smoother, easier, more pleasant?  Everything seems to move so slow, be so hard, come with compounding complications, leaving you broken in the midst of questions with no ready answers.  What happens then?  The head hangs down, heart feels heavy burdened, anxiety levels rise and along with it irritability.  How do I know?  I'm living it!  A few weeks ago this all came to a head, and I cried out to the Lord, driving down the road.  I told Him that if he didn't meet me in this place, right now, I couldn't go on.  I had to have an encounter or word from Him to give me strength to move on.  I didn't get an immediate thunderbolt of revelation; He didn't appear in my car next to me and sit down for a chat, no waves of good feelings or manifestations of the Spirit.  For a good hour, nothing happened.  I listened to a book on tape, resigning myself to a slow surrender, and then, He broke through my audio and reflections and began to speak:  "It does not take any effort to let your head hang and to wallow in present circumstances.  However, this will drain the life right out of you, leaving you exhausted, broken and struggling just from one moment to the next to hang on to hope and make it through the day, yet you're not called to hang your head down low or live in and for the here and now.  Remember how David reminded himself often to lift up his head, asking himself  'Why are you downcast oh my soul...hope in God for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.'" We are called to lift up our heads, be exalted and claim our birthright in heavenly places. Col 3:1-2 "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."
    We are called  to establish the kingdom of heaven on earth by living out an experience as sons and daughters of the Great and High King of Heaven.  Just saying those words sends a thrill through my spine and a sense of exultation, my head pops up and my countenance is helped.  Yet, my day-to-day experience so often leaves me wallowing in the pieces of all that is undone, yet to do, words and tones that never should've come from my mouth but spilled forth in the midst of my stress and anxiety.  We are not meant to live this way! Yet, how do I get out, break free, how do I turn the corner to walk as a daughter of the King with dignity, grace, joy unspeakable and full of glory, a living hope, a gentle and gracious tongue, integrity and wisdom, befitting this Name, this title by which I have been called.  How do I tap into the knowledge of the Holy that changes everything, that will guide me in every step of my day and overshadow every conversation with holiness and glory? How do I live my life so those who encounter me: my family, coworkers, friends, the person in the grocery store, airport, park, encounter the love and the beauty and the grace of Jesus when they encounter Him in me?  I really think this is meant to be the normal Christian experience.  I want to see God's kingdom crashing down all around me, healing broken people, broken places as the very real power that rose our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead courses through my life in these willing hands, this willing heart, weak vessel.  I see that even this willingness to let go of my pain, my broken, my natural course of hanging my head down and plodding along are a daily sacrifice of praise.  I'm certainly not pretending that I have answers or have it all together.  Most days are filled with the broken and unholy reactions of someone living more like an orphan or slave than a Daughter on whom has been bestowed greatest love, honor and authority.  I think it starts with talking about it more, affirming the truth of these words every morning, every interaction, every time I turn my head. When my anxiety levels rise, setting my eyes on things above, on who He is and who I am in Him, rather than on the mere stuff of earth around me, a fake sort of "reality." I need constant renewal of truth or all the seeming realities around me will beat me down and relegate truth, the Highest Truth to the backseat.





 And so...


Lead on, O King Eternal  (and I will follow)
 

Lead on, O King Eternal,
The day of march has come;
Henceforth in fields of conquest
Thy tents shall be our home.
Through days of preparation
Thy grace has made us strong;
And now, O King Eternal,
We lift our battle song.


Lead on, O King Eternal,
Till sin’s fierce war shall cease,
And holiness shall whisper
The sweet amen of peace.
For not with swords’ loud clashing,
Nor roll of stirring drums;
With deeds of love and mercy
The heav’nly kingdom comes.

Lead on, O King Eternal,
We follow, not with fears,
For gladness breaks like morning
Where’er Thy face appears.
Thy cross is lifted o’er us,
We journey in its light;
The crown awaits the conquest;
Lead on, O God of might.

Story behind the hymn
Song