Can't get decent picture of her, but she is sooo adorably cute and it's a sin not to post her pic here! #JFC #jfc2015 #JFCkids #jember #latepost (at Masjid Al'baitul Amien)
If you're wondering why your kid came home wearing a bracelet with three beads on it and the only explanation you got was that "They change mommy!" I can explain.
Bead #1 / Listen
When I was a kid I remember being at a summer camp with JFC (yes I've been here that long) where it was the last night and everyone around me was crying and experiencing God, and I was just sitting there. Discouraged, I went up to my Pastor and asked why I wasn't feeling anything. I don't remember what he said, but when I went back to my chair all of the sudden I was overtaken by the presence of God. I didn't hear any booming voice, and the Lord didn't slay me in the Spirit. I was just sitting there and opened my heart to whatever the Lord wanted to do and then He was able to do it.
Movies, and stories had led me to believe that in order for God to speak, I had to hear it audibly. In that moment, I realized that sometimes (most of the time) God just speaks to my spirit, without me hearing a single word He can give me exactly what I need.
We expressed to the kids this weekend that they don't have to hear a booming voice, but most of the time, it is God speaking to their spirit, and all they have to do is listen.
Yesterday I was at a music festival of sorts called Warped Tour. And before you ask me what type of music it is, let me just say most of you would hate it. I grew up on loud fast music, and that's exactly what it is. As I walked around yesterday I was overwhelmed with the burden of the current generation. More and more vendors were handing out despicable and vulgar shirts. Some even directly pointed at tearing down my Faith. Most had middle fingers, and swear words and the people there were not modestly dressed to say the least.
The audience rejoiced in sin, and vulgarity, leaving me feeling outcasted and alone. Maybe the way Elijah felt in his time, when he felt like the only one left. I'm not saying I'm the only one left, but in a crowd that large worshipping sin, I started feeling a little claustrophobic.
We were listening to a band openly against our Faith, and the crowd was full of thousands of kids. They were all screaming the words back and throwing up middle fingers and I felt the Lord ask me if I could share His love publicly with these people.
I looked around and felt afraid because all of these people were openly hating Christianity. I felt at any point they could turn on me and brutally beat me to death. I told the Lord no, I couldn't.
Bead #2 / Obey
Sometimes it's easy to Obey God. My mother this past week told me how she was leaving to have lunch with some of her friends downtown and in her spirit felt like she should bring some water. She obeyed, and the Lord used her to hand out waters to the youth at the Downtown Denver Skatepark, and homeless people. My mom showed a perfect version of Listening, then Obeying.
But sometimes it's not so easy. We've all had (or at least I hope so) those experiences where we feel like God is telling us to do something, and all of the sudden that rush of fear invades our body and we become immobilized to do His will.
Why is that? Do we fear what would become of us? Do we fear what people would think? A part of me says this is alright, but then the other part says that if we truly have Faith that God has overcome the world, we shouldn't be afraid to Obey even when it's difficult, right? Then why do we?
As I looked around Warped Tour at all the faces I realized that I feared them more than I fear God. That brutal realization came to me when I remembered that all weekend I told the kids that God will protect us when He tells us to do something, and I doubted that God would protect me in that crowd.
Without the first two steps, Listen and Obey, there can be no change.
Bead #3 / Change
When we Listen and Obey, God is able to Change us. Our Faith grows, not just in what God can do, but who He is. When we skip either one of those steps, the change doesn't come that God intended, and we stay stagnent.
Have you ever smelled water that has been standing still for too long? With no way of being filtered or purification, the water begins to attract bacteria and then comes mold. Our Faith can get like that if there is no change. If we don't exchange what we have for what God has and let Him fill our cups to overflowing, there can be no change. We then just become gross, and moldy.
When God pushes and stretches us, it's because He wants to take us deeper. It's because He wants to change us. There is so much more to our Faith that God desires to show us, but first we have to Listen and Obey, then He can change.
What would have happened if I got up and started sharing the Good News with the kids at Warped Tour? Would I have gotten chewed out? Yes. Would someone have thrown something at me? Most Likely. Would God have accomplished my mission for being there? Yes. Would God have touched the one person He desired to touch? Yes. Would my heart have changed towards the people there? Absolutely.
I didn't obey God this time, but I know next time I will. What is this life if not to serve God? Why am I here if not to share the love of Christ EVERYWHERE? I may not steal a microphone next time I'm there, but I may bring a few tracts and Bibles to hand out, who knows what God will call me to do. All we have to do is Listen and Obey, and God will do the change, not only in our lives, but others as well.
