competing allegiances

so i was walking outside tonight... looking at the stars - praying... haven't done that in awhile... and the mostly full moon was rising reddish on the horizon... and i started to sing a rich mullins song "there's more that rises in the morning than the sun, and more that shines in the night than just the moon..." well, when i got to the phrase "the stuff of earth competes for the allegiance, i owe only to the Giver of all good things" it stopped me cold

that is EXACTLY what it keeps coming back to with all this "don't waste your life" and "desiring God" stuff... what is my real treasure? and i was reminded again of 2 corinthians 4 "we have this TREASURE in jars of clay" (HAHA - it just hit me, jars of clay covers "if i stand" on the rich mullins tribute cd) - so i want to meditate again on just what "this treasure" is...

"For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

say that again: THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST!!!!

as i meditate and ask God to prepare my heart for camp - as i think about how we will spend saturday evening as counselor guys - OH GOD - let me see THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST - that i may be transformed by that glory (2 cor. 3:18) - and may those around me be transformed as they see that glory reflected in me!!!!

"therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart."

And there's a loyalty that's deeper
Than mere sentiments
And a music higher than the songs
That I can sing
The stuff of earth competes
For the allegiance
I owe only to the Giver
Of all good things

So if I stand let me stand on the promise
That You will pull me through
And if I can't, let me fall on the grace
That first brought me to You
And if I sing let me sing for the joy
That has born in me these songs
And if I weep let it be as a man
Who is longing for his home

... oh Lord, set me free from the "stuff of earth"