“On the way to
church this evening the car was very quiet, and I asked everybody is anybody
else missing Constance for Christmas tonight and they said yes.”
This is one of the texts I received waking up this Christmas morning
from my mother. Oh yes, my heart is quite heavy starting this blog, and it’s been a while since I’ve written one. So much has happened these past two months that I still need to put into words, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. (PS: blogs are currently in the making from the past two months, so hang tight!)
This, I feel, is the point in the race where the rubber meets the
road. We”re half way through this journey. We”re past the point of no return.
Why turn back now and come home? Of course times get tough.
At what point did Jesus want to turn away from
the cross? Was it when He received the first lash? Was it when the nail wasn’t
going through His wrist? When He realized God indeed had turned His back?
Jesus said in this world you will have trouble, and we are called to
be imitators of Christ. Trouble comes in many forms. On the World Race, it often
comes covered as “strong personalities,” difficult “living situations,” and
making “the budget” work.
It”s easy for “problems” to seem big and overwhelming. We
have to be careful because these can overshadow how much bigger God is.
It’s easy to sit here become overcome with grief because I”m not
home for Christmas. Listen, I am close with my family. I’ve left my best
friends back home. I sold my car. I quite my job.
I’ve left my entire life behind.
For what?
…to give up control over my life and give it COMPLETELY over to
Jesus.
This life isn’t about me or what I want. It’s not about my plans or the
purposes I have.
If Jesus really is Lord, don’t His plans matter
more than mine? If Jesus really is Lord, shouldn’t we drop
everything we are doing to listen to what He says and do what He tells us to
do?
Come on.
I tell you, give Him everything. If He”s calling you
to leave something, GO! If He”s telling you to let a relationship die, CRUCIFY
IT! If He”s telling you to stop, STOP!
Don”t hesitate or question whether you heard Him.
Careful because …
25 Jesus
answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my
Father’s name testify about me, 26 but
you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep
listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
(John 10)
When God calls you, there is no question over what it was once the
call is given. The real question is “were we even listening in
the first place?”
That’s the challenge, I think, for God these days. I know at least that’s
what He”s ALWAYS reminding me of. How much easier would it be to know God”s
will for our lives if we would give Him our attention and just LISTEN?!?
“Listen to me, Jacob,
Israel,
whom I have called:
I am he;
I am the first and I am the last.13 My own hand laid the foundations of the
earth,
and
my right hand spread out the heavens;
when I summon them,
they
all stand up together. (Isaiah 48)
God is calling us.
Let’s listen.
I leave you with two things:
1. A picture of my family and I, taken last year. Take it as a reminder to cherish yours. I wish I could this year. (…even if your brother decides to make a ridiculous face)
2. A song. “You Make Me Brave” by Bethel. For those times when it seems impossible to do what God asks. He calls us to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9). This song reminds me that it is JESUS HIMSELF who makes me brave.
