I have to admit that I am becoming evermore certain that I want to fight for dreams and visions to become tangible realities! I feel passion and excitement to discern what it is that God has for our lives, to grasp and make it happen. I mean why should we be held back by our fears of unattainable bench marks , our fear of failure or the fear of going against the grain. To truly live out what Paul claims in Philippians 3:8, "Indeed , I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord," do I really live this way? Do I rest easy knowing that my worth and assurance comes from Christ that He made me the way He wants me.. hmm honestly I greatly wrestle..
I often wonder therefore under what authority do I live my life. How do I use my voice, the power behind having a voice and the ability to be courageous and challenge.. I believe that every follower of Christ is called to make a stand under God's authority, how faithful am I to the fundamental calling of living by His word. I think of how Peter and John described, " for we cannot but speak of what we have seen or heard," (Acts 4:20) , that the greatest desire of my heart is to live out what has changed me (and hopefully will continue to work in me), what attracts my attention and has captured my heart...
Many times I feel we shy away from being bold and just deciding to go for things, perhaps what we grow up around has a bigger effect than we often think. I wonder if I 'pray as if it all depends on God and live as if it all depends on me', I wonder how much I grasp the total amazing reality that ' For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain', ( Philippians 1:21) this often encourages me to really want to discover what Christ wants me to stand for, how He wants to use me and use my voice, that while I am here, I am here for Him !
In my understanding to love and to do so spiritually we should recognise the undeniable stamp that Jesus gives ALL men, that this type of love is not wrapped up in desire but serves - beyond our greatest imagination of what this truly means, born out and bound solely to the word of Jesus Christ. This thing that has changed us , that has brought new understanding and desires - we owe to others! What I guess I'm getting to us that love and fellowship with others is not an ideal but a divine reality - 1 million percent spiritual.
For me I am greatly motivated to fight for others, I often hear ' Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute,' (Proverbs 31:8) resounding in my head or the challenge of James of True Religion to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world ( James 1:27) , I mean we all have this great responsibility and duty to fulfill.... I just long to grasp it more and more every day to never be unaware of others, to listen attentively to God to know His voice and to not simply be stirred by and fail to act - I long for authenticity, to walk humbly.
Admittedly at this point I just scratch on the surface of many things, much more could be said on many of the tangents I have thrown out here, I realise my ability to spiral in all sorts of directions, my thinkings out loud are so random..
I am greatly challenged by the words of Jim Belcher " When you talk about justice the world loves you, when you talk about Jesus the world hates you, " how much we must continue to strive for the proclamation of Christ , Jesus is Justice - the complete embodyment of, That proclamation and demonstration can never be divorced.
I just want to see a world not afraid to dream, I don't wish to be defined by accomplishments or success by any imagination- I want to hold firmly to the unfathomable knowledge that just by existing I hold soo much worth in God's eyes, ( something I feel that I am admittedly yet to fully grasp myself )yet I want to dream big - For Him !
I am left thinking of Lawrence of Arabia :
"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake up in the day to find it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible."
Wow ! I hope we all strive to see more clearly our true potential in Christ , to dream and not be paralysed by fear .. Let's Go !
