Training Camp: Part 2
Go ahead and play this song while you read this blog:
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose.” Acts 16:25-26
In this event found in the book of Acts, Paul and Silas were in prison for preaching the Gospel. Bars and chains were holding them back from spreading the Good News further, but they didn’t lose heart. In fact, they began singing hymns of praise to their Lord.
Then the earth shook…
Their bonds and their chains came loose, and the the jail doors were opened. Paul and Silas were free.
One of my favorite memories of training camp was when I saw this story come to life in a very similar fashion. The band was playing their reprises while over 300 other World Racers stood, sat, sang, or meditated in prayer.
Then the hymns broke out…
First was “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” from the back left of the room, the whole crowd eventually joining in. Then someone in the front right followed with “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” Finally, “Amazing Grace” rose up from the back-middle, coupled with cheers and shouts of praise.
There weren’t physical prison cells to tear down that night, but I assure you: chains were broken. God set many of us free from sin, experiences, and pains that were holding us back from becoming the children of God He intends for us to be. This is what God wants: to rid ourselves of ourselves (yes, this makes sense) so we can make room for Him to work in and through us (John 3:30). In doing so, we are enabled by Him to serve and share His Gospel more effectively.
Our team needed this. A process of confession and surrender, and allowing God to mend where we needed to be mended, and to empower where we needed to be empowered. As a result, I feel we are more than ready to begin this journey. We are more than capable, not because of anything we can do in our own might, but because we have the Holy Spirit. We have the wonder-working power living in us. We are ready to fight the good fight.
I-SQUAD!
