Jesus and Adele

I was thinking about something Jessi said on Instagram the other day: "In order to influence, you have to be influenced." And she posted a photo of her open Bible. I know this truth, and I appreciated the reminder. I have nothing to offer anyone else unless I'm filled up first. And I so know that I have nothing to blog about when I'm not spending time in His word. I just feel....speechless. No inspiration.

So I was wondering what I've been inspired by lately, feeling a bit convicted for neglecting my time in the Word. Pandora was playing in the background. And then this Adele song came on. Which, I was reminded, is actually not an Adele song, it's a Bob Dylan song, sung by Adele.

But the words were not from Bob Dylan or Adele this time I heard it, though I've heard the song a hundred times before. I heard Jesus speaking them...not in my ears, in my heart. He brought a lump to my throat, and I was reminded that the Gospel is everywhere.


When the rain is blowin' in your face
And the whole world is on your case
I could offer you a warm embrace
To make you feel my love.

 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High

will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

He will cover you with his feathers.

He will shelter you with his wings.

His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Psalm 91:1,4

When the evening shadows and the stars appear
And there is no one there to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
To make you feel my love.

You keep track of all my sorrows.

You have collected all my tears in your bottle.

You have recorded each one in your book.

Psalm 56:8

I know you haven't made your mind up yet
But I would never do you wrong
I've known it from the moment that we met
No doubt in my mind where you belong.

But you are a chosen people,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,

a people belonging to God,

that you may declare the praises of him who called you

out of darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Pet 2:9

I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue
I'd go crawlin' down the avenue
No, there's nothin' that I wouldn't do
To make you feel my love.

But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.

He was beaten so we could be whole.

He was whipped so we could be healed.

Isaiah 53:5

Though storms are raging on the rollin' sea
And on the highway of regrets
Though winds of change are throwing wild and free
You ain't seen nothin' like me yet.

No one is holy like the Lord!

There is no one besides you;

there is no Rock like our God.

1 Sam 2:2

I could make you happy, make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn't do
Go to the ends of the Earth for you
To make you feel my love.

 This is how we know what love is:

Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

1 John 3:16

He is so good to us, isn't He?

{lyrics from "Make You Feel My Love", by Bob Dylan, 1997}