The Rusty Nail

Detail: (Painting) The Worshiper, © 2013 S.D. Harden All Rights Reserved.

The Rusty Nail

A few weeks ago I posted a blog and music video based on Psalm 51:10, the Psalm King David wrote after he'd committed adultery with Bathsheba, gotten her pregnant, and then murdered her husband to cover up his sin.
God sent Nathan the prophet to confront the king and David repented, praying, "Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me." ~ (Psalm 51:10-11)

For those readers who did not have an opportunity to read my original post about this beautiful psalm and how David repented of his sin, I encourage you to take a moment to do so.

I took down my music video a few days after posting it with the promise that I would re-post it again for you soon.
I created my original music video for my prayer song "Create in Me a Clean Heart" as a worship aid for a special prayer night at our church. The Lord gave me the song the day of the prayer service!

Our Lord is very generous with His gifts! I had not asked Him for the song; in fact the worship leader and I were planning to do a different music video I had already created.  But the Holy Spirit had a different plan so I got busy preparing the song and video the Lord gave me. I had only 3 hours in which to record the song and create the video that day.

I am not a trained videographer. All my training is in art and writing. I never sought to be a musician, a singer, or to create videos. One day a few years ago, I went to the altar at church to pray about some burden I had. The Lord spoke to my heart and asked me if I would sing for Him.
"My Suzy, will you sing for Me?"
This request had nothing to do with my issue I was praying about. And besides that, to sing for anyone was the LAST thing I wanted to do, having a terrible phobia of public performance of any sort.
I didn't want to be disrespectful of the Almighty, but I couldn't help but think He HAD to be joking. I like to draw cute little dressed up animals. If I were to draw myself as an animal I would be a shy little, timid mole hiding behind her little art desk painting and writing and drawing. Never singing.
"Lord," I said, to Him, "not to be disrespectful, but I don't think You are remembering who I am...I can't sing, I'm an artist."
He only said, "My Suzy, won't you sing for Me?"
I peeped around as I knelt at the altar wondering if anyone could see how exasperated I was.
"Lord," I said, "Have You forgotten how bad a singer I am...so bad that when I sang "Jesus Loves Me" to My child when he was 6 years old he HOWLED?!"

I felt like crying because I had once sung praises to The Lord in my quiet times up until that had happened. Many years had passed and I no longer sang to Jesus because of that incident with my little boy. The enemy used it to make me think I had a terrible voice and I kept silent after that.
When Christian grew up he said, "Mama, I only howled because the dog across the street was howling with the wind that night. I was howling with him. I loved your singing."

But when I was at the altar that day I didn't know that.
I only knew that I believed I had a terrible voice and that there was no way I wanted to sing for God because I was so ashamed of my voice ever since that day.
"My Suzy, will you sing for Me?" Jesus asked me for the third time.
I knew it was God's voice. And I could not say no if I loved Him.
Then He said, "My Suzy, will you trust Me?"
I knew I had to lay down something. I had to lay down my fear, my pride, and give God my will and allow Him to make me what He wanted me to be.

Singing was the last thing I wanted to do because I never believed I could be good enough.
Though I never trained to be a musician, nor did I ever sing until I became a Christian and then only in my quiet times, yet God has blessed me with many beautiful songs inspired by His word. Whether piano solos or prayer songs, The Lord continues, ever since that day at the altar when I reluctantly said yes, (though I was terrified) He has given me over 350 pieces of music for His glory. I have recorded them all.
My new video "Create in Me a Clean Heart" includes my worship painting based on Luke 7 that I've been working on for the last several months. It was not finished yet when I made the first video. That video made heavy use of a lot of images pulled from the Internet that may have been copyrighted and I did not have time to get permission or check the copyright status of all those images I used.
My new video includes more original content and makes use of some classical works of several great artists from the past and present whose works are in the public domain.

I have always believed that God can anoint a rusty old nail if He chooses to use it for His glory. So it does not matter what I have to give Him, as long as I give it by faith in humble obedience to His will, He can bless it and use it to bless others.
My prayer is that this music video will bless and inspire you, and draw you closer to the God who died on the cross for each of us in order to create in us a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within us.

Heavenly Father, help us know that you do not desire perfection from us in what we give You, just trust & obedience. You will supply all the rest.
Create in us clean hearts that serve You & worship You in sincerity & truth. Thank You Lord. In Jesus name. Amen

 Click the link below to view video/prayer song: "Create in Me a Clean Heart":

Illustration (Detail, Worshiper: Painting by S.D. Harden, Copyright 2013, All Rights Reserved.

The Rusty Nail, Copyright 2013, Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved. Unto the Least of These