I’m in this boat, and I’m facing Jesus. The sky is clear as day. As blue as blue can get. There’s a cool ocean breeze that hits my face and brings with it the scent of sea. I’ve been in this boat for a while now. Jesus and I have been through alot since I’ve gotten into it. He’s brought me through so much. I’ve cried, I’ve laughed, I’ve yelled, I’ve fought with him, but still he’s here. Still he chooses to be with me and do life with me. wild.
If you’re a bit lost, about three months ago my squad mentor gave me a vision. It was of God asking me to get in this boat and to set sail with him to this new destination. To a new self. To leave this image that I’d always had about myself and who God was, and to let Him redefine everything about himself and me.
And so I’ve been in this “boat” for about three months now and its been a crazy ride.
Alright let me finish what I started.
So I’m in this boat, and I can feel that we’re nearing the other shore. Actually I can hear it. The sway of the trees. The sound of the waves crashing upon the shore. The feel of life and adventure. But everytime I turn around to look at it, I can’t see it. Puzzled I turn back around, my back to our destination and I can feel it behind me. I know its there. I turn around again and still I don’t see anything. And then it all makes sense. I’m not supposed to see it. I’m not supposed to have eyes for what’s ahead, I must have eyes on the one who actually sees what’s ahead. To have eyes only for my beautiful savior.
“looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” -Hebrews 12:2
Because Jesus had his eyes on the Father and on the joy he knew would come, he endured the cross, endured the shame, and because of his endurance he is now where he belongs at the right hand of God. So now because he endured, I endure. I endure the hardships that come along with following him. I lose my life in order to gain it in him. I endure to keep my eyes forward on him rather than have my back to him and try to see the destination ahead. Because the destination isn’t everything; he is everything. My everything. And that is why I WANT to keep my eyes on him, because he is my joy. He founds and perfects my faith in him, and because of the joy I have in him I endure.
It is so insane how intentional God is and how he plans everything so perfectly. It is also insane to look back and actually see with my own eyes that God has been keeping his promise to me that he made. He truly has been redefining himself and how I see him. He isn’t just this big being in the sky that I just pray to about random things. He’s a God that loves me so deeply. That satisfies me more than any human can. He is my true source worth and value that I don’t need to find anyone else. He says I am worth dying for, and that I have such value he would come down and take the form of a human to get close to me.
“who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.” Phillippians 2:6-7
How wild is that? God not counting himself equal with God a concept to be understood, but instead he taking the form of a someone to come serve us. Wow. Have you ever known something for so long but never truly understood what it actually meant until way later? That’s how I feel at this moment. I have heard all my life that God loves me, but guys, He actually loves me. Deeply. And he doesn’t just say it, he shows it in every way, shape, and form.
Back in Haiti my lovely squadmate Kate Paulson told me that she believes that God created flowers just for her. I thought that was the coolest thing. Just think God creating something just for you? So recently I realized what I felt God created for me.
RAIN.
Rain, thunder, lightning, the whole shebang. I absolutely love it all. If I can I will take any chance to play in the rain. Just to run and dance and spin and twirl in it even if its raining cats and dogs. I am in love with the way it feels when the water droplets just fall on my face. Pure joy in such a little moment. And it’s something that I can enjoy with the Lord, because he’s right there in the rain with me.
So if you didn’t know, I got to go to Victoria Falls recently which is one of the natural seven wonders of the world. WOW. Thanks God. And there was an opportunity for me to go BUNGEE JUMPING, ZIPLINING, AND SWINGING FROM THE BRIDGE that is just as tall as the Falls. But right before I started, it began to rain. And a smile broke out on my face because I knew God was with me in that moment. Watching over and protecting me, but also walking with me. And let me tell you, probably a day I will never forget. The fact that God created this beautiful place, AND he allowed me to do something I only ever dreamed of doing, and he was there ENJOYING it with me. Insane.
God isn’t just a God that is only there on church days or when you pray. He literally is there in every single moment of your day, you just have to let him in. He wants that. We were made to live life with him and he is allowing me to experience that, and nothing in the world compares. Nothing. So I challenge you to ask God to reveal to you something you believe he created just for you, and enjoy him in that and give thanks. And then I want you to ask him to invade every single aspect of your life. Doesn’t matter what you’re doing, he belongs there. He was made to be there. You were made to live life with him and find true satisfaction in him. There’s this quote by John Piper that says “When we are most satisfied in him, he is most glorified in us”. When we find true satisfaction and joy in him, that’s when we want to share that with the world because we want everyone to experience what he gives. And when we share with the world and those around us, he is then most glorified in us.
Finding true satisfaction and enjoyment in him and glorifying him: the things we were made to do.
Step into who God has made you to be and keep you eyes on him, and don’t worry I’m doing the same over here. Fall in love with him, because I promise you he is so in love with you. And he’s waiting for your love. He’s waiting to be wanted. Don’t let him wait any longer.
