Shopping with Jesus

I want to tell you a story about how wonderful my Lord is.

Yersterday, I went to Barnes and Noble to buy some music with a gift card I've had forever. I've been learning lately how God wants to be invited into every corner of my life. Anywhere He's not welcome, I don't need to be. I was a little trepidatious about applying this in the arena of music, but I decided to do an experiment. I invited the Lord to shop for music with me. That is, I asked Him to help me choose and told Him that I wouldn't buy what He was against me having. I was a little afraid, thinking, well maybe He won't let me buy anything, or point out some kind of "spiritual music," but, whatever, we'll just see what happens.

This decision occurred after I had collected a large stack of CDs to take to that reader thing that lets you scan it and preview the tracks. So I sat down and began. Some of the music I didn't like, some of the music I kind of liked but the Lord was like "no." Then I came to a CD of an older band I like but don't have a lot of music by. All of the sudden the Lord was like "Yes!" This was the one. I was completely taken aback. I was not expecting Him to have a positive preference, I just expected Him to limit me. I double checked, but His voice was clear. When God speaks to you, you just know. I can't explain it.

So I bought it, and a cd of one of my favorite bands of which I'd had a pirate copy for years. I could tell the Lord wasn't thrilled about me buying that one but I knew the band deserved to be paid for all the times I'd listened to them and I'm trying to become a law-abiding music citizen.

I'm still so surprised at that choice the Lord made for me. It's by no means a spiritual band, and I really...like them. It's a really fun album. But of course just because I bought this CD with the Lord's blessing doesn't mean it's automatically His will for me to listen to it whenever I want, or that they're somehow a band sanctioned by God and He wants everyone to listen to them. Of course not. I could speculate all day about why this CD, but that's a waste of time. Either I will eventually see some sort of divine reason for it, or I won't. All I know and care about right now is that I came to the Lord in vulnerability, with something I really care about, and He honored me and gave me something I really am happy with. He is just the sweetest person ever!