Defender

Have you ever noticed that any love song on the radio, minus the sexual suggestions and language can be written to you from God? All the promises that are being made such as “I’ll love you forever. I’ll be faithful till the end. I will always choose you. I will be your defender. You can trust me.” etc. are promises that only God can fulfill.

This week my husband will have been gone for 2 years. In some regards it seems like yesterday. Yet, in other ways it seems like a lifetime ago. I still miss him and I still cry. I guess I always will—maybe as time passes it will become less often but I’ll have to let you know how that goes.

I chose this song for this particular week because as I transition from relying on my husband to relying solely on God I see the difference between my husband’s fierce, strong love for me as but a mere shadow of God’s intimate, protective, extravagant love for me. My husband wanted to be all these things for me and he tried very hard but in comparison he fell short. That’s not a bad thing because in our limited earthly attempts we all fall short of the mark. I know I fell short in my efforts toward my husband and I definitely fall short with regard to God.

The artist for this week is Bryan and Katie Torwalt of Jesus Culture and their song “Defender” will be the lyrics we’re looking at. The beauty of this love letter to you from God is immediately felt/heard/seen in the opening lines:

You go before I know
That You’ve even gone to win my war
You come back with the head of my enemy
You come back and You call it my victory

Who does that? Who goes ahead of you to protect you, is victorious in the battle, and then returns and credits you with the win? Surely it would be the One who is in tune with your needs, immediately rises up, and takes His battle position to protect you. One who not only has the power and authority to achieve the win, but who is also rock-solid secure in His identity, so He gives you the credit out of His deep-rooted affection for you.

That, sweet woman, is just a sample of the unfathomable love of God. The God of the Holy Bible does not need us, but He chooses us. We can’t make Him more God or less God, but He pursues us with His everlasting love. In His pursuit of us He remains a gentleman at all times, allowing us to choose Him each and every time we encounter Him.

Further down in the testimony of the song, God’s role as defender is unveiled through His mercy with Your mercy is the shade I’m living in. How beautiful is the gift of mercy that saturates our life in color. It’s heart-crafted, unique artwork for the soul.

Your love becomes my greatest defense reminds us that no weapon formed against us will over take us and it’s not because we need to fight it. We simply need to submit ourselves to the love of God and His love fights for us. Anything in this life that strives to rob and abuse us must face the formidable love of God.

My favorite line speaks of how He sees and knows us at all times:

And when I thought I lost me
You knew where I left me
You reintroduced me to Your love

He’s never shaken or confused. His response is to overwhelm our hearts with His attentiveness to not just our physical being but, more deeply, our mental battle as well.

You picked up all my pieces
Put me back together
You are the Defender of my heart

Wrap that up with the thought that our repayment for His deep affection, valor, and sacrifice is to simply say thank you by way of our worship. We give Him His due honor and offer our grateful hearts with praise, song, prayers for who He is and all He has done.

Defender 
by Bryan and Katie Torwalt (Jesus Culture)
Youtube Music Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtPgAFpkJLE

You go before I know
That You’ve even gone to win my war
You come back with the head of my enemy
You come back and You call it my victory

You go before I know
That You’ve even gone to win my war
Your love becomes my greatest defense
It leads me from the dry wilderness

And all I did was praise
All I did was worship
All I did was bow down
All I did was stay still

Hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better Your way
And hallelujah, Great Defender
So much better Your way

You know before I do
Where my heart can seek to find Your truth
Your mercy is the shade I’m living in
You restore my faith and hope again

And all I did was praise
All I did was worship
All I did was bow down
I’m just gonna stay still

Hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better Your way
Oh hallelujah, Great Defender
So much better Your way
And hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better Your way
Oh hallelujah, Great Defender
So much better this way!
So much better Your way
So much sweeter Your way
So much beautiful Your way

And when I thought I lost me
You knew where I left me
You reintroduced me to Your love
You picked up all my pieces
Put me back together
You are the Defender of my heart
And when I thought I lost me
You knew where I left me
You reintroduced me to Your love
You picked up all my pieces
Put me back together
You are the Defender of my heart
And when I thought I lost me
You knew where I left me
You reintroduced me to Your love
You picked up all my pieces
Put me back together
You are the Defender of my heart

Oh hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better Your way
And hallelujah, Great Defender
So much better Your way
And hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better this way
Oh hallelujah, Great Defender
So much better this way
It’s so much better this way
It’s so much better this way

All I did was praise
And all I did was worship
All I did was bow down
All I can do is stay still
All I can do is stay still
All I can do is stay still
All I can do is worship
All I can do is worship
All I can do is worship
All we can do is worship

Praise will be my breakthrough
The song becomes my triumph
And worship is my warfare
My victory is in Your hands
Praise becomes my breakthrough
My song becomes my triumph
And worship is my warfare
Our victory is in You, our victory is in You
Praise becomes my breakthrough
My song becomes my triumph
And worship is our warfare
Our victory is in You, our victory is in You

Oh hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better this way
Hallelujah, Great Defender
So much better this way
And hallelujah, You have saved me
So much better this way
Hallelujah, Great Defender
So much better this way
So much better

And all I did was praise
And all I did was worship
All I did was bow down
And all I did was stay still
All I did was stay still
And all I did was stay still

As I reflect on the past 2 years of walking out the sudden loss of my husband it has become clear to me that submission and worship have been the most powerful weapons I’ve ever experienced in my walk with God. I’ve constantly been amazed at the depth and strength of these two words. I’m in awe because submission seems extremely weak and worship certainly does not exude warrior like stance. But oh sweet woman, I am so blown away by what God does when my posture is submission and worship.

Is God not the most beautiful? In the eyes of my heart, He has no rival and no equal for He is beautiful in all His ways!

NOW LIVE LOVED and THRIVE!

Self-Reflection

These questions are in no way a substitute for healthcare professionals or any level of professional counseling. I’m an advocate for taking care of oneself mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. These questions reflect my heart, NOT my profession.

This questionnaire is an opportunity to journal your thoughts and feelings. It can serve as a launching pad on which to evaluate your heart condition as you understand it. My hope is that you will take the truths you discover about yourself and hold them up to the Light to evaluate them against who God says you are.

• How do you show God you are thankful?
• In what ways do you allow Him into the secret places of your heart and mind?
• What do you think it means that you can live in the shade of mercy? (No wrong answers, just fun expression)
• How has God defended your body or how do you need Him to defend your body?
• How has God defended your mind or how do you need Him to defend your mind?
• What is your favorite line in this song? Explain.
• Have you ever experienced breakthrough with your praise/worship/submission? Elaborate.

Talk to God about your answers. Give Him praise, ask Him questions and then listen for His gentle response.

Take Action

Use God’s word to take control over the traumas in your life.  Whenever you feel terrorized by your thoughts take them captive by replacing them with the truth of God’s promises in His word.

Here is a scripture for you to print, cut and carry with you and/or post in places where you will see it often. Ground yourself in God’s truths not Satan’s attacks. Encourage your heart and mind every time you are reminded of His great love for YOU!

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.” Psalm 5:11-12 (NIV)

Read God’s love letter and say to yourself:  We can find refuge in God. Let His goodness cause us to be filled with the joy of the Lord. We have favor as a child of God because He surrounds us with His presence.