#485: "Abandoned" by Benjamin William Hastings

More Than a Song - Discovering the Truth of Scripture Hidden in Today's Popular Christian Music

CLICK HERE for the episode guide to help you connect with Scripture through this song.
I've recently seen several videos online of children laying hands on siblings in prayer or praying with deep and passionate charisma. It's adorable because they are acts not normally seen in children who are more likely to swipe their friend's toy than lay hands on them in prayer. But I learned a long time ago that children are mirrors of the environment around them. When Benjamin William Hastings sings "Abandoned," he longs to mirror the complete abandon he sees in the life of Christ.
As an adopted child into the family of God, I, too, want to mirror Christ's life of abandonment to the purpose and will of God. Let's explore the entire gospel of Mark together to see what acts we can emulate.
In this episode, I discuss:

• Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include:
  • Read and keep on reading
  • Read in context
  • Set a timer
  • Study a topic
  • Mark up the text
  • Meditate on Scripture
• Episode Guide Download
• Benjamin's comments on the heart behind the song - Air1 Article
• Reading and interacting with the entire gospel of Mark to examine Christ's life of complete abandon
• The journal I use to study whole books of the Bible - ESV Illuminated Scripture Journal: Mark - Amazon Paid Link
• Wanting to have the mind (and surrender) of Christ - 1 Corinthians 2:16
• How Jesus was yielded to God's plan completely from the beginning of His ministry - Mark 1:11-12
• Jesus doing the thing He came to do - Mark 1:38-39
• Jesus operating in the authority He had been given - Mark 2:10-11
• How Jesus about things/people that God cared about - Mark 2:17
• How Jesus' life of abandon led to rejection - Mark 6:2-3
• Christ's abandoned life was a life of prayer - Mark 6:46
• An abandoned life honors God with our lips AND our hearts and doesn’t elevate tradition over the heart of God - Mark 7:6-8
• An abandoned life sets his/her mind on the thing of God, NOT the things of man - Mark 8:33
• The cross Jesus called us to bear before He surrendered to His own cross - Mark 8:34-38
• ‌An abandoned life is content with God’s timing - Mark 9:9
• An abandoned life is a life of servitude - Mark 9:35
• An abandoned life isn't a reckless life -- it still has customs - Mark 10:1
• An abandoned life is yielded to the truth of Scripture - Mark 11:17
• ‌An example prayer
  • Relationship
  • Rehearse
  • Request
  • Relinquish

Additional Resources

• Lyrics - NewReleaseToday.com
• Favorite Bible Study Software - Logos Bible Software Affiliate Link

This Week's Challenge

Read the gospel of Mark. Read with a highlighter and pen in hand. Don’t take apart every verse, but look for the pattern of the life of Christ — a life abandoned to the will of God above all else. Then pray as Jesus did in the garden. Call on your relationship with God, rehearse his character, make your request, and relinquish your will in exchange for His. You won’t regret it.

Change your music. Change your life. Join my free 30-Day Music Challenge. CLICK HERE.