The Easter Season: Clear The Stage

Clear The Stage

By: Jimmy Needham 

"Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze
If that's the measure you must take to crush the idols
Jerk the pews & all the decorations, too
Until the congregations few, then have revival
Tell your friends that this is where the party ends
Until you're broken for your sins, you can't be social
Then seek the lord & wait for what he has in store
And know that great is your reward so just be hopeful

'cause you can sing all you want to
Yes, you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to
And still get it wrong; worship is more than a song

Take a break from all the plans that you have made
And sit at home alone and wait for god to whisper
Beg him please to open up his mouth and speak
And pray for real upon your knees until they blister
Shine the light on every corner of your life
Until the pride and lust and lies are in the open
Then read the word and put to test the things you've heard
Until your heart and soul are stirred and rocked and broken

We must not worship something that's not even worth it
Clear the stage, make some space for the one who deserves it

'cause I can sing all I want to
Yes, I can sing all I want to
I can sing all I want to
And still get it wrong
And you can sing all you want to
Yes, you can, you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to
And still get it wrong; worship is more than a song
Worship is more than a song
Worship is more than a song

Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze
If that's the measure you must take to crush the idols"

_________________________________________

As lent comes to a end its forces me to realize that I did not use those 40 days to prepare for the coming of Christ. To me lent is supposed to be used for a time of preparation to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is supposed to help refocus our lives back to Christ and reposition out lives to the call we were given. It is supposed to help us weed out the idols in our lives, those things that are pulling away from God and becoming first in our lives. And as lent comes to and end I am realize that I did not use this time wisely, I was like the foolish virgins who did not prepare for Christ coming and were found without enough oil. I was so focused on trying to get promoted at work, organize events for church, leading youth group and spending time with family that I have caused even the best of intentions to become idols in my own life and am now forced to step back and ask myself the tough questions of am I living for myself or for Christ? Sometimes I think that we confuse our church work with our call and do not realize that even those actions can become idols as well. I really like the song "Clear the Stage" by Jimmy Needham, I think it gives us something to think about in each and every one of our lives. It is a powerful statement to say that you can sing all you want to and get it wrong. It is a tough realization that no matter how much "good" work you are doing that is not all that God is asking of your life and this Easter its a challenge I am giving to myself and you. 

These upcoming days are the three most important days in all of our existences. These are the day that Christ died, was buried, and defeated death and thus giving us the ability to have eternal life. Growing up in the church I think we often over look the magnitude of this powerful truth. We are able to quote the important scriptures, give our friends a uplifting verse, tell a friend what Jesus did, but then our lives do not reflect this truth that we have be given. Our knowledge has becoming simply facts we have memorized in Sunday School that are placed away in our barrel for the time when we need to fire. We begin to go through the motions of life and our lives get caught in the currents and conform to the ways of the world. We get caught up in the programs, the potlucks, the youth groups, the long work hours, the soccer games, the fast food and the time we give to God is lessened and lessened. I think that this Easter Season we need to reflect on our walk with Christ and how genuine it really is. I know that for myself that there are red flags that stand out between things like my language at work and my language at church. Is my life every where I go worth of being called a ambassador of Christ? 

It is time that we step outside of our lives, turn the music off, shut off the "inspirational videos", pause the sermons, and enter into the presences of God. It is a scare thought to be quite with the Lord. I think it is in those times that the demons begin to be rooted out and the things that we foolishly hide from God come to light and those moments scare us. It is a time to dive into scripture once again and read truly what our lives should look like. It is a time to confess our sins to God and to our brothers and sister. It is a time to be made whole again. It is a time to recommit our lives to Christ and walk with his once again. I know for me who is responsible for leading small children that I want the best for them and that practice what they see and would I be proud of my children if they copied some of my own steps and practices?

What better time is it then the Easter Season, the time that we celebrate the death and resurrection to lay our own lives down at the cross, to die once again and be born again a new. To recommit our lives to Him! I know I rambled a lot in this post but I hope I got my point across. Clear the stage: And sit at home alone and wait for god to whisper Beg him please to open up his mouth and speak And pray for real upon your knees until they blister Shine the light on every corner of your life Until the pride and lust and lies are in the open Then read the word and put to test the things you've heard Until your heart and soul are stirred and rocked and broke! That is my challenge to you. To truly meet with the Lord and pray to be broken down and join me this Easter Season in recommitting our lives to Him and his Kingdom! 

Happy Easter!