I’m a big fan of music and especially of song lyrics. I think words are really powerful and I’m usually in awe of songwriters. It’s hard for me not to write blogs all the time just based on song lyrics. But I do want to share these lyrics with you…
You said, ask and you will receive
whatever you need
You said, pray and I’ll hear from heaven
and I’ll heal your land
You said Your glory will fill the earth
like water the seas
You said lift up your eyes
the harvest is here, the Kingdom is near
Ask and I’ll give the nations to you
Oh Lord, that’s the cry of my heart
Distant shores and the islands will see your light
as it rises on us
This is an older song. Many of you probably know it or may have sang it before. I’ve probably heard it around 250 times in my life, but one time in particular stood out to me.
It was at our launch in January of this year. Both M and N squads were together in New Zealand and we were just days away from actually starting this crazy thing called The World Race that we’d been anticipating for months now. I can’t remember who was teaching that day or what they said…I vaguely remember some chat about how special our group was, how we were “chosen,” and how we may be a unique generation. Afterwards we were all singing the song from above. I remember looking around (sometimes I like to watch other people worship and just praise God for diversity!) and seeing my now-teammate, Michelle. She was belting out the words with all the energy and passion she could possibly find. Ask and I’ll give the nations to you, Oh Lord, that’s the cry of my heart! And I remember standing there and for the first time actually believing that maybe, just maybe, the generation I am a part of might be something different.
There’s another song I like, this one by Kim Walker, and at the end she makes the declaration…
We are a chosen generation!
We are a chosen generation!
Being around the leadership of AIM there are talks time to time about our generation and how we may be the generation that the world has been waiting on, longing for. There’s also sometimes some phrases thrown around like “the 42nd generation.” Now I don’t know enough about this theory to explain it to you in full, but what I do know is that this theory (in my terms) says that the 42nd generation of man is going to do some really amazing stuff. And there’s a rumor going around that says that generation is here…now.
[to learn more about the 42nd generation, read AIM founder Seth Barnes’ blog by clicking here]
So what if…
What if there was an end, not just a decrease but an end, to human trafficking?
What if the AIDS epidemic actually became a thing of the past?
What if the rich were in community with the poor and then there no longer was “rich” and “poor”?
What if acceptance was truly lived out and instead of turning to gangs or drugs or suicide, kids had a family and a friend to turn to when they felt lonely?
What if kids had families?
What if hunger ceased to exist?
What if the cry of our hearts really was for the nations to be given to us?
What if our generation got off the couch, off the internet, off of our
fears and insecurities and stepped up?
One thing I’ve learned a lot about this year is opportunities. God is not a god of force. He does not make us do things we don’t want to do. Or even if it’s something we do want, He’s not going to just snap his fingers and make it happen as if He were a magician here for our entertainment. For instance, if you’re wanting to be more patient – He doesn’t just make you more patient, He gives you the opportunity (circumstances in life) to increase your patience.
In the same way, if we really are the chosen generation that does not mean we have a free ticket to sit around and wait on something big to happen so we can join in. We are the something big!We have more resources, more outlets, more chances than any other group of people that has ever walked the face of this planet. So if you have a passion, a vision, something that keeps you up at night because you know it’s going on in the world but you know it’s just not right, then do something.
First things first – stop listening to the lies of the enemy. Stop believing that you aren’t good enough, qualified enough, old enough, young enough, whatever. You are enough. Don’t be held back by the things of this world – money, location, opinions, experience, etc. If you are bold enough to step out and put some action behind your words do you really think that the God of the universe will not provide a way? If that’s what you think then maybe we should chat about what god you’re talking about…because it’s not the same one that I serve.
So maybe I’m wrong about all of this. Maybe it’s just a theory and I’m just getting all worked up over nothing. Maybe our generation is great, but not chosen. Honestly I think that’s what the enemy wants us to think because the longer we sit around and wonder if it’s true or not, the less we’re getting done for the Kingdom. But hey, I could be wrong. Who knows? But I just want to challenge you to take a minute and think….
What if?
