What seems urgent to you?
The refrain from one of the songs that runs through my head often is, “I want to live like that,” by the Sidewalk Prophets.
I wanna live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You
If love is who I am
Then this is where I'll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back
I love the notion, “recklessly abandoned, never holding back” because it’s so inviting. Almost childlike in its sense of fun and spontaneity but with a sense of real intention. Maybe that’s why I loved being a youth leader, why I adore my grandkids. Kids are at once about living in the moment and hungry to learn their purpose.
Thinking about the way of the cross, isn’t that what Jesus is all about? Embracing the One who created us and living with joy, embracing others into that love.
More than a pop anthem, the song asks the question, “Is there evidence that I’ve been changed, when they see me, do they see You?”
What seems urgent to you? As I continue to watch my kids becoming who they are meant to be, I am even more aware of answering that question for myself.
About two years ago I was diagnosed with something that had the potential to weigh me down. My initial response was one of trepidation, but over time I’ve recognized that I am prepared for this. What has bubbled up is the assurance that God’s purpose in me would not be thwarted. This sense of comfort gives me more joy, more freedom, and more desire to be an encourager.
C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity writes, “Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which a few months later you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of.”
I’ve learned to face an MRI without fear. Yoga breathing really helps me. I continue to learn patience, not easy for me. But most importantly, I’ve developed more of an urgency to share the joy that comes from an inner sense of peace.
If you’ve ever been on our prayer list, then you know what a blessing that can be, but receiving encouragement is also humbling because we don’t feel deserving. Jesus modeled humility, and He taught us to live joyfully and abundantly, not in our circumstances. Yes, I want to live like that.
Thank you, Lord, for showing us your way. Amen.
