Take the big risk. Make the wild leap. Say “yes” to that tug on your heart.
The people in the Bible were not perfect by any means but they listened for the voice of God and they often obeyed no matter how unusual and scary the direction was.
+Abram and Sarai left their homeland, their culture, their safety and journeyed to an unknown and dangerous land.
+Ananias went to a home to lay hands on and pray over an enemy.
+Esther risked banishment and death to beg for the salvation of her people.
+Jesus went out of his way on his long and tiring journey to get to one woman with a very bad reputation.
+Phoebe journeyed on foot and by sea from Greece to Italy to hand deliver Paul’s letter to the Romans.
The very best advice that I could give to any person, old or young, married or single, childless or parent, is to right now, in this very moment, imagine yourself opening your heart up to the leading of the Lord.
It is scary to live like this. It requires something (ok, everything) of you but it is the BEST way! It is the way of life, the way of joy, the way of renewal and of hope.
I think Rich Mullin’s describes this way of life best in his song “The Love of God” -
There's a wideness in God's mercy
I cannot find in my own
And He keeps His fire burning
To melt this heart of stone
Keeps me aching with a yearning
Keeps me glad to have been caught
In the reckless raging fury
That they call the love of God
To the married couple who are not really feeling it anymore with each other, to the elderly person who feels like they have no purpose, to the empty nesters, to the young mom who is drowning in the routine of diapers and feedings, to the young person who is wondering what they are supposed to do with the rest of their life, take this moment to imagine opening your heart to this love of God and simply saying “yes”.
The Lord’s leadings will be big and small, they will seem to go against what you think you need, they will probably make you nervous and they will definitely not go the way that you thought they would go but they will be the Lord’s doings and they will be marvelous in your eyes.
Joy and sorrow are this ocean
And in their every ebb and flow
Now the Lord a door has opened
That all Hell could never close
Here I'm tested and made worthy
Tossed about but lifted up
In the reckless raging fury
That they call the love of God
P.S. - I love you, John. Thank you for always saying “yes”, no matter how scary, and for keeping our hearts open to the reckless raging fury that they call the love of God.
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