The past few weeks have been a wild ride for me, my new team, and my squad as we walk through this time of transition. God is using this time to make some major changes in my life and in my perspective. One of my biggest paradigm shifts is of God’s love and grace. For the first time in my life, I feel like I am actually beginning to grasp God’s grace and love for me. It is new, fresh, and beautiful. Due to this new perspective, I have come to see that I have worn a mask my whole life. At first glance, this mask seems good. It is the mask of “good” Christianity. It is a mask that has been embedded in my consciousness for as long as I can remember – the face of American Christianity. You know the routine – go to church on Sundays, don’t lie, don’t steal, try to be a good and moral person, be nice to people – these are all expectations we have of what it means to be a Christian.


God is telling me it is time to drop the mask. For me this means letting go of my timidity, my reservations, my façade that I have it all together. It is time for me to be myself. God wants me to be so much more than a reserved, serious, “religious” person. He wants me to be His child; He wants me to be me. 
 
What does it really mean to be a child of God? To see God as my Heavenly Daddy? To run into His arms without fear or reservation, in full assurance of His love for me?
My Daddy is calling me out to play! Just think of it! The Ruler of the universe, playing? Dare I believe this shocking idea? But there it is again – I hear my Daddy whispering in my ear, calling to me to leap into His arms. The very idea is so outrageous as to seem laughable. Right now I am laughing – out of sheer delight! My Daddy wants to play with me! Only a crazy, untamable, indescribable, outrageous God would come up with an idea so absurd.

 

I asked God what He wants to play. He said that He wants me to help Him encourage my brothers and sisters to take off their masks and come join in the exhilaration of freedom. He wants us to come and play in the overwhelming, passionate, embarrassing love of God. Are you willing to risk it?