Listening through another album from Noisetrade the title of this song cause my eye and prompted me into a post. As I work through my days at my Co-Op I learn more and more about the expectation of my future that that are born both from my own desires and external pressures of society. Looking towards my future I see myself following the ways of the world and pursuing a career that I only partially love because I love the money much more. I see the multifaceted benefits of money and have concluded for myself that I can be very comfortable with minimal monetary wealth. I see the joys of giving, blessing people around myself, being able to give my future family opportunities that only money can provide. I also see the destruction that can come as money becomes an all consuming idol that robs me of passion, creativity, and my created purpose. Therefore this song sparks an interesting inner dialog because I desire to live a life consumed fully by family, community, discipleship and love for God. This is not the way of the world! The typical path of graduates leads into high paying, highly demanding industries where fulfillment comes in the form of promotions. Some people get stuck in the upward cycle of living for the next promotion and sacrificing family, community, discipleship, and personal passions. I do not want to follow the ways of the world, those paths have taken me down to the place of death and I do not like the taste! Now the real question is how the heak do I not follow the wide path but rather walk on the narrow path?
Adam Sams speaks the good news of our Heavenly father into the purpose of work. We do not work so that we can be self-sufficient and depend on our own hands. Rather we work to create, cultivate and develop, knowing that we can depend on His hands for our needs. As we realize that everything is a gift, we put our titles down, and become thankful for the blessings all over our lives! Today realize that you are loved much more than the Birds and the Flowers and the God of the universe will provide everything that you need!
You count the coins and years of work
That put them in your pocket
Could you exist on any less
If suddenly you lost it?
Do you depend on your own hands?
Put your title down
Everything you have is a gift
Put your title down
Be thankful
Is sustenance the effect of work
Or is that an illusion?
The earth's carefree simplicity
Has led to my conclusion
I depend on my own hands
Put your title down
Everything you have is a gift
Put your title down
Be thankful
The nurturing of birds and trees
Is not of their own will
The Source providing all they need
Is nurturing me still
Put your title down
Everything you have is a gift
Put your title down
Be thankful
From the hands of the Father I am nourished,
Paul Shackelford