The Joy Of My Salvation -Seeing Jesus | Overflow Part 5

Matthew 8 tells the story of two demon-possessed men whom Jesus healed. Two crazed men hanging out with dead people and pigs -unclean to the Jews.

Isn’t it crazy how God chose them, in all their craziness and wildness, to experience the salvation of God? And, to become the catalyst and bearers of the treasure of God – the good news. That was the start of the gospel spreading out into the Gentile world (see Mark 5:20).

Isn’t it crazy how God chose Israel, the least and smallest of the surrounding nations? Why did he choose them? Not because they were better, not because they were greater. In fact, in many ways, they were worse than the surrounding nations. Why? -because he chose them (Deut 7:8). That’s crazy.

Why did he choose me? I was unlikely to be chosen. I was born beside Sarakum village, in Maprik, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea. Zeroing in, to the wild and wonderful jungles of Papua New Guinea, the Holy Spirit breathed into me a gift for music. A gift to write songs, that would be sung in churches across nations. He chose little old me,  a jar of clay – broken, cracked, chipped -at times tormented by hidden storm -out of which would shine the treasure of Jesus. What a crazy story!

What’s your story? Isn’t it crazy how God chose you!

He chooses people as unlikely as you and I!

Let the goodness and grace of this crazy story – this good news of God’s salvation -burst out. It can’t stop where it is, inside our hearts – it’s got to break out. How can we express this joy, this awe and delight? How can we tell of the expanse of the wonder of his love and his plans? The kind of expression that goes deep, rich, wide, high, and glistens with mystery -tinselled in the shards of treasure from the explosion, and the whisper of the breath that breathed –this expression is art, it’s song.

Let the craziness of the joy of your salvation well up within you, and burst out in song. Song it.