Pleasing to You by Jared Anderson

Too often I sing worship songs without ever understanding the meaning behind the lyrics. I get focused on the notes or the emotion of the song rather than what I'm actually singing to the Lord. This takes quite a bit of time to do, but I would challenge you to dissect the lyrics of your favorite worship song and really understanding what it is about.

I wanted to know what this song was about because of its central focus on purity. I have been thinking about this concept a lot lately as I have been thinking about my past. For 18 years of my life, I had absolutely zero understanding of what it meant to be "pure." Therefore, I have many impurities that I am able to get upset over, think about or dwell on. I think many people in similar situations as mine often do the same thing. But this is not pleasing to the Lord. (Philippians 4:8-9)

Those of us who have pasts that we might not be proud of, get upset about or still struggle with, need to embrace God's promises about purity. In psalm 51 God makes it very clear that he will purify us from our sins and we will be clean and he will wash us and we will be whiter than snow. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it says that if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come!

Also take heart and know that God doesn't look at simply our actions. He looks at the thoughts, the hearts of people. Even though you might have a past like I do - know that you and me and every other human being stand before God with blemishes in the area of purity (unless someone wants to claim they are perfect at this.....). Our God doesn't sit at His throne remembering everything we have done that offends Him, instead He lovingly opens His arms and asks us to simply come to Him to be comforted by Him and His love.

*I would suggest listening to this song while reading. I would have attached it to this post, but I haven't figured that one out yet.*

Sanctify me

1 Thessalonians 5:23

"May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless."

Clean out my closet

Psalm 69:5

"You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you."

Take away anything that is not pleasing to You

Psalm 12:6

"The Lord's promises are pure, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over."

Purify me

Malachi 3:3

"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness."

Destroy all my anger

Ephesians 4:31

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."

Wash away anything that is not pleasing to You

Psalm 51:2

"Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin."

I will be white as snow

Isaiah 1:18

"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, I will make them as white as wool."

I will be pure as gold

Psalm 86:11

"Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you."

Jesus my heart must know

I'm pleasing to You

Hebrews 13:21

"May He equip you with all you need for doing His will. May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him."

I give my life, my all

Mark 10:21

"Jesus looked at him and loved him. 'One thing you lack,' he said. 'Go, sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

Taking the cross I will follow

Luke 9:23

"Then He said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."

Jesus my heart must know

I'm pleasing to You

Romans 12:2

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will."

Sanctify me

John 17:17

"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth."

You are the light to guide me

John 8:12

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

To the place when I am

Only pleasing to You

Ephesians 5:1-2

"Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loves us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God."

Purify me

I need your light inside me

So the darkness flees

And I can be pleasing to You

So come make me white as snow

Lord make me pure as gold

Jesus my heart must know

I'm pleasing to you

I give my life, my all

Taking the cross I will follow

Jesus this heart must know

I'm pleasing to You

Jesus my heart must know

I'm pleasing to You