Imagination, creativity and grace by Lynda Alsford

I am constantly blessed by the imagination and creativity of others. I have been blessed by the writing of ACW writers. we are a gifted bunch and I thank you all for your contributions. It isn't just reading someone else's writing by which I am blessed. Our creativity is expressed in so many ways. This was brought powerfully to my mind by a video I sometimes watch on YouTube by the band MercyMe. 

For those who have not heard of them, MercyMe  are an American band, whose songs I find have powerful lyrics and great music, Song writing is one expression of writing for which I am very grateful. Songs about our faith are very powerful for me. I love singing along to music. It speaks to me and brings me into God's presence. I sing a lot in my car. You may stop to thank God now you are not a passenger in my car, my singing is not always very tuneful but it is a way I express my love to God!  I also listen to music at work via my headphones and have to remember not to sing along as it disturbs my colleagues! I so admire those who can write meaningful lyrics and music, and make powerful images, whether moving images as in the video below or still images that illustrate things for us. How we are blessed by these gifts. 

MercyMe sing a song called 'Flawless'. I find the lyrics especially powerful. The chorus of the song includes the following words. 

No matter the bumps,

No matter the bruises, 

No matter the scars, 

Still the truth is, 

The cross has made, 

The cross has made you flawless

They highlight to me how God sees us as flawless no matter what we have done, and what we have been through because of the cross. So often we condemn ourselves and each other because of what we have done, when God sees us always through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus. He sees us as flawless. The version of this song I like watching most is below. It adds in a very powerful graphic image to the words. If, as you are reading this, you don't have WiFi or enough mobile data, do come back to it. It is a very powerful video. I praise God for the variety of gifts used in the making of this video.

 

Lynda Alsford is a sea loving, cat loving GP administrator and writes in her spare time. She has written two books, He Never Let Go describes her journey through a major crisis of faith whilst working as an evangelist at a lively Church in Chiswick, West London. Being Known describes how God set her free from food addiction. Both books are available in paperback and on kindle on  Amazon.co.uk  and  Amazon.com. She writes a newsletter called Seeking the Healer, in which she shares the spiritual insights she has gained on her journey. When she finally starts her blog, it will also be called Seeking the Healer and you can find out more about both at  www.lyndaalsford.com.