Last night was a very powerful night at our young adults ministry, Vertigo, at City of Grace. Words cannot begin to describe when God has fully entered into the room and is working within His people. It's stronger then the most powerful, moving speeches man can compose. It's more powerful than 50,000 people cheering on their favorite team at the local football stadium. It's more core shaking than an 8.0 earthquake. It is unquestionable to the saved and the unsaved when His powerful presence comes.
Last night was beautiful. Pastor Jason (aka my amazing husband) was truly touched by the rescue that came to him through our Savior, Jesus Christ. The challenge was loud and clear: How can we not desire to save the life of another on Christ's behalf when He has truly saved our life? The moment was sensitive, it was challenging, it was raw and it was God. God was reminding us of the crap He has rescued us from. It was a challenge to all to remember that and not hold it for our own, but open ourselves up, look past our own issues, our individual identity crisis, our selfishness and find others who need a Savior.
This morning I was at Boot Camp (yes me!) and a fire fighter was telling us that she had had 3 hoarder fires in the last year. 3 homes burnt down, because they hoarded everything they ever encountered. They shared nothing, they kept their garbage and their treasure all compiled in one shell of a home. It leads me to believe that we too can be that way in our own hearts. We have experienced Christ's redemptive power first hand; we keep it to ourselves. We have experienced (some of us) horrible lives; and we hang on to that too. Many of us search for significance and find nuggets that we can cling to for a time; hoarding that moment in time. Many of us attempt to overcome a past of mistakes and sin; holding onto it instead of releasing it to a forgiving and gracious God. Meanwhile, all the good and bad is compiling. It's impossible to sift through; we don't conquer and throw away our baggage. We don't fill up and share our wins, our salvation experience, our testimonies, our struggles. Instead, we hoard it; our hearts filling until we can no longer breathe. We aren't truly allowing God's work to purify us. We don't truly recognize the powerful work of grace which we have been given! We wonder how long our hearts can take such suffocation before they explode; with nothing left but ashes of hopelessness.
We experienced something new last night in a room of 160 young adults (aka life-savers). A releasing came. An understanding arose. A recognition of God's gift to us that has overcome all past behaviors, sins and experiences. An undefinable yet undeniable moment where God reminded us!
The challenge was this: Recognize the amazing gift of your life saved; stop hoarding it & start living in it! Moreover, save the lives of others. After all, we are all meant to save a life!
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