Every Thought Captive

Our Enduring Song

And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said,

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
     my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation,
    my stronghold and my refuge,
    my savior; you save me from violence.
 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
    and I am saved from my enemies.
 “For the waves of death encompassed me,
    the torrents of destruction assailed me;
 the cords of Sheol entangled me;
    the snares of death confronted me.
 “In my distress I called upon the Lord;
    to my God I called.
From his temple he heard my voice,
    and my cry came to his ears.
 “Then the earth reeled and rocked;
    the foundations of the heavens trembled
    and quaked, because he was angry.
 Smoke went up from his nostrils,
    and devouring fire from his mouth;
    glowing coals flamed forth from him.
 He bowed the heavens and came down;
    thick darkness was under his feet.
 He rode on a cherub and flew;
    he was seen on the wings of the wind.
 He made darkness around him his canopy,
    thick clouds, a gathering of water.
 Out of the brightness before him
    coals of fire flamed forth.
 The Lord thundered from heaven,
    and the Most High uttered his voice.
 And he sent out arrows and scattered them;
    lightning, and routed them.
 Then the channels of the sea were seen;
    the foundations of the world were laid bare,
at the rebuke of the Lord,
    at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
 “He sent from on high, he took me;
    he drew me out of many waters.
 He rescued me from my strong enemy,
    from those who hated me,
    for they were too mighty for me.
 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
    but the Lord was my support.
 He brought me out into a broad place;
    he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

2 Samuel 22:1-20

Our friends in the Scriptures often responded to their circumstances through song or psalm. Read 2 Samuel 22. Read Psalm 51. Read 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Read Revelation 5:9-10. Perhaps this is an instinct built into the hearts and souls of many members of the human race. Not everyone responds in song, but many do. We sing about heartbreak, triumph, confusion, injustice, cries of despair, dreams of the future, prayers to God, stories that need to be told, strong emotions, responses of worship, etc.

As Christians, we have the gift of a host of spiritual disciplines: silence, journaling, retreat, prayer, scripture memory, immersion in nature, fasting, etc. Each discipline grants us a new/fresh lens through which to understand and experience God. The same can be said of art forms such as poetry, songwriting, dance, painting, drawing, etc. if used as a discipline to connect with God. Have you explored these lately?

Were you to write a song or a poem about your circumstances as they are right now, what would it sound like? What might that it read like? Perhaps:

He is my constant.
The Lord loves so faithfully…
I take it for granted.
Here I am:
Fickle-hearted.
Bull-headed.
Charging straight for a wall.
(all the while arguing: “that is not a wall.”)
I would have abandoned me long ago.
I would have abandoned me long ago.
But
There He sees His greatest opportunity.
My worst exposes His best.
I, the expert wanderer; He, the expert “Stayer.”
Professional quality staying power, really.
5 stars.
Unparalleled.
And for what?
What’s in it for Him? Exactly what does He have to gain?
He gets what He fights for every time!
He gets me.
What’s more, He gets Himself:
Most satisfied and pleased when HE IS who HE IS.
How odd.
How odd that the greatest gift to us and Himself is
Himself.
He literally showers Himself all over us, and we are transformed.
He deluged Himself upon the Israelites,
Full-force in his forgiveness like the ocean
As they tossed listlessly between their lovers.
He gushed upon Peter.
Once driven from the scene, now driven to his knees.
The denier who left
Left wondering: “How can it be?”
He burst forth on the cross.
He could have left.
(Arguably) should have left.
Stayed.
Stayed.
Kept staying.
Until it was finished.
Until His heart...........
He broke forth upon the church.
Arrived in flame and spread like wildfire.
Hurled His heat & light to the corners of the earth,
Consuming sin, shame, chains.
And like a tempest of love, He rages on.
He pours out Himself, and we are transformed.
Transformed to what?
Why, ourselves, of course.
How different I am
Since the day He found me.
Oh what shall I become
When I see Him as He is?

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.” - 1 John 3:2

About the Author

Photograph of Christen Nutter

Christen Nutter

After a decade in professional ministry—serving for four years in the youth ministry of PCPC—Christen went corporate in April of 2018. She now manages and coaches real estate agents at Keller Williams Urban Dallas in Uptown. Christen continues to serve as a lay youth volunteer at PCPC and writes and speaks on a variety of topics such as theology, youth ministry, and the faith & work conversation.