A year ago, the bus that picked me up from the Atlanta airport rolled into the Adventures in Missions parking lot, and I officially became, and started to feel like, a World Racer.
The past week I’ve walked around on these hallowed gravel paths once more, this time as a World Race alumni.
Walking into this week, expectations were scarce, but excitement was high as my eyes fell upon the Atlanta skyline when my plane descended back into the memories of old. Much like the red Georgia clay that stains everything in it’s path, the teachings, the people and the lessons I have encountered in the atmosphere cultivated here have transformed the way I see people, the world, and most importantly, the Lord.
When I signed up for the Race almost two years ago, I thought it would be my peak. Everything I had studied, learned and experienced had lead up to this point – to this season of life.
I now know that the Race was not my peak. Not even close. Nor is it the greatest thing I will ever do or accomplish for the Kingdom in this life. It was my launching pad for a fully, unequivocally abundant life that the Lord was asking me to step into before I even realized what that meant.
Peter. We all know him. He’s actually kind of a big deal for the church.
He was also a man that refused to admit to not only being Jesus’ disciple, but knowing Him at all.
He was a man that doubted God while he was walking out on the water towards God in the flesh.
He’s also me.
Going on the Race, as I mentioned, was not the greatest thing ever and ever, amen. Actually, the Race was just me getting in the boat. Just as Jesus took Peter out on the boat in the gospel, He was also taking me farther out, further in, and deeper than I had ever gone before. The voice of the Lord was calling, and my response was to follow.
Anyone who has been out on the water knows that the boat starts to rock when the waters get choppy. The storms come and suddenly it’s not so much smooth sailing anymore.
In the story of Peter, this is when Jesus calls him out of the boat. He didn’t call Peter when the waters were still and the skies were blue. He called him when the waves were crashing all around and turning back was no longer an option.
I went home early from the Race. It’s a fact, and one I am not ashamed of. I can say that with assurance and confidence, because looking back, that was the Lord calling me out of my boat. He was calling me out upon the waters, because when Jesus calls us into deeper things, He doesn’t stop there.
The depth He calls us to, calls us deeper, still.
Once more, when the Lord’s voice called – this time it was calling me home – I followed. That’s the thing about having a “yes” in your spirit. It means doing the thing, even when it goes against every other thing.
It means following Jesus even when it may not seem worth it, because you know the truth that Jesus is always worth it.
Project Searchlight has reminded me of the truths I already knew but was fearful of living out while walking on American soil. So when one of our speakers told us that the only solution to fear of men was fear of the Lord, it began to push Jesus into His rightful place in my heart.
He is Lord.
He is faithful.
He every good thought I’ve ever had and ever good thing I’ve ever done.
He is resurrected and He is daily resurrecting me.
There are promises on my life that the Lord has called me into and He is currently calling me into. The good things He started in my life while I was on the Race He will continue in me until completion, and that’s the day where the real Race will be over and I will meet my Creator face to face. And on that day, I want to stand boldly before His throne and say with confidence that I stepped out onto the water, and followed after the Light unflinchingly. I want to say that whenever He called me deeper, I said “yes” every time because I saw the honor and privilege it was to follow the only King worth following.
When I stand before the throne, I want to have the words said to me, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and share in your master’s joy.”
Jesus, I say “YES” to You. When the storms rage and the water rises, I will still step out of the boat and follow You, because every time, in every season, You are worth it.
