Dance

I went home this weekend to watch my little brother sing and play the cello in three different performances for choir and orchestra.

Sunday morning my pastor mentioned how some people are trying to perform their way into favor with God. He said these people are living a works-based salvation because they have not embraced the fact that Christ has already won God’s favor for us.

Immediately God began to fill my soul with images and whispers He developed throughout the sermon, and even into communion. After taking the elements with my family in remembrance, I touched both hands to the altar and quietly cried to God, “It is finished!”

Several influential friends and family members have spoken the same message to me throughout 2011: Don’t be so hard on yourself, Meghan.

I heard their kind words and appreciated them, but my behavior remained the same. I tried to set myself free from my habit of striving to earn favor with God, and reprimanding myself for robbing Him of His glory or causing Him displeasure.

Do you see the problem with those “solutions”? Oh, I pray you do.

My eyes have been fixed inward instead of upward through all of this. It’s not about me. My salvation was not earned, but given. I have been covered by the blood of the Lamb – that means when God looks at me, He sees my forever High Priest: Jesus Christ – on whom God’s favor lies.

I cannot earn favor with God, nor can I displease Him. It is all finished in Jesus Christ. There is freedom in the cross.

I pray I never forget these precious words the Lord whispered to my soul Sunday morning:

I’m dancing on the stage of an empty auditorium when I hear my Father say, “The show is over, Meghan. My Son has brought it to completion. I am inviting you to step off the stage and dance with me through life into eternity. I know you don’t know the steps, but you do know the rhythm. Listen to my Spirit. Let me lead you in the dance. Freedom is here. Come, dance with me.”

Endure

“Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” -2 Timothy 3:12

Following Christ does not guarantee safety.

Following Christ does not guarantee happiness.

Following Christ guarantees danger.

Following Christ guarantees suffering.
Following Christ guarantees persecution.
Following Christ guarantees attacks.
Following Christ guarantees a constant battle.
Following Christ guarantees struggles.
Following Christ guarantees a fight.

But following Christ also guarantees salvation.
Following Christ guarantees forgiveness.
Following Christ guarantees redemption.
Following Christ guarantees hope.
Following Christ guarantees peace.
Following Christ guarantees joy.
Following Christ guarantees purpose.
Following Christ guarantees everlasting life.
Following Christ guarantees truth.
Following Christ guarantees love.
Following Christ guarantees His strength in our weakness.
Following Christ guarantees we will never be alone.
Following Christ guarantees He will forever hold us by the hand.

Following Christ is costly, but it is the only way.

“So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.” -2 Timothy 2:10

Am I willing?

Right Now

I have a world map hanging on the wall in my apartment next to my dining table to help remind me to actively pray for the nations. Today, while I was studying over my finance notes, I looked up at the map for just a moment, but my gaze was frozen. All of a sudden my heart beats quickened, my breaths deepened, and the tears began to rain down my face. My mind was immediately filled with images of people from every country in the world. Usually, when I pray for a country, I specifically lift up any local believers and missionaries that are present in the nation. I pray their light would shine bright in the darkness. Today was different. Today my heart broke for the dead: those who will die today who lived their whole life dead in their transgressions. Today I mourned over those who have not heard what I have heard - those who have not seen what I have seen: the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God is just. God is fair. God is sovereign. God is good. God has shown grace to me, a girl who deserves death. I pray He uses me to display His grace, rather than hide it in my heart. This is the word the Spirit led me to write in my finance notebook as I wept over the souls represented by the map of the world:


This world is dying
and I’m studying finance.
I’m reading about risk and return.
But I am not taking risks.
I am not living knowing Christ will return.
What if He came back today?
What would He find me doing?
Right now. Right this second.
I’m studying finance.
Right now. Right this second.
There are people
of all colors
of all nations
dying
never knowing the name
above all other names:
Jesus.
That all the world
will know
His name.
For all who call upon the
name of the Lord
shall be saved.
This world is dying
and I’m studying finance.

Help

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
His faithful love endures forever.

Has the Lord redeemed you?

Then speak out!
Tell others He has redeemed you
from your enemies…

Some wandered in the wilderness…

“Lord, help!”

they cried in their trouble,
and He rescued them from their distress.
He led them straight to safety,
to a place where they could live.
Let them praise the Lord
for His great love and for the
wonderful things He has done for them…

Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom,

Imprisoned in iron chains of misery…

“Lord, help!”

they cried in their trouble,
and He saved them from their distress.
He led them from the darkness
and deepest gloom;
He snapped their chains.
Let them praise the Lord
for His great love and for the
wonderful things He has done for them…

Some were fools; they rebelled and

suffered for their sins…

“Lord, help!”

they cried in their trouble,
and He saved them from their distress.
He sent out His word
and healed them,
snatching them from the door of death.
Let them praise the Lord
for His great love and the
wonderful things He has done for them…

Some went off to sea in ships…

“Lord, help!”

they cried out in their trouble,
and He saved them from their distress.
He calmed the storm to a whisper
and stilled the waves.
What a blessing was that stillness
as He brought them safely into harbor!
Let them praise the Lord
for His great love and for the
wonderful things He has done for them…

The godly will see these things

and be glad…

Those who are wise

will take all this to heart;
they will see
in our history
the faithful love
of the Lord.
                        -Psalm 107

Father,

I have been selfish.

I have turned away from your commands

and turned toward my selfish ways.

I am hurting.

My heart cannot long for you

whilst longing for what you
have already given.
My mind cannot contain
your visions from heaven
along with my world-centered thoughts
and self-centered ambitions.
 
I am lost.

I cannot hear your voice

when my whole self is
working so hard to listen
to the voices around me,
specifically, the voices above me.

I am wounded.

I cannot pick up my cross

and follow you
when my hands are reaching
for what is no longer.

I am desperate.

My deepest need for you

has surfaced
after I have sought sustenance
from nearly everything
apart from you.

Lord, help!

I am crying to you
in my trouble.
Rescue me from my distress.
Let all that I am praise you
for your great love and for the
wonderful things you have done
for me.

Thank you Lord,

for you are good.
Your faithful love
endures forever.
                        -Meghan

Nothing to Lose

"For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with Him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead...
You have died with Christ, and He has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world."
-Colossians 2:12, 20

Can you imagine what life would look like if we grasped that we have already died with Christ? That we have already been raised to new life by trusting in Him? That through Christ we have conquered the grave and now experience life everlasting?

I imagine we would take more risks, pray with faith beyond measure, and dream BIG for the glory of His Name.

Let's live a life worthy of the calling God has placed on us. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Praying His Word becomes our reality,
Meghan

Trust

Over the past few weeks the Lord has opened my eyes to see so much revealed truth – I could write a book about it (and maybe one day I will). But for now, all He is leading me to share with you is the prayer His Spirit laid on my heart as soon as He woke me up this morning. I pray God uses this prayer to draw you nearer to Him in unhindered adoration:

Wow Father, Psalm 105 is such a powerful testimony of your sovereign will and your care in every detail of your perfect plan.

Following you in obedience is sure to come with struggles and persecution, but your hand will guide me and protect me every step of the way.

You go before me and you follow behind me.

Your Spirit is with me wherever I go.

There is no place I can escape from your presence.

There is nothing that can separate me from your love.

You send your chosen people before me to accomplish your purposes.

You will send your chosen people behind me to further fulfill your plans.

God, I was orphaned in this world, alone in my sin, and you picked me and adopted me into your family when you called me your daughter.

You have chosen me because of your grace.

So out of your grace, I ask, Father, that you will send me as one of your chosen children to fulfill a piece of your greater purposes for your glory.

I want the rest of my life to be committed to one thing: TRUSTING YOU FOR THE GLORY OF YOUR NAME.

Whether my life concludes today, or if it extends further, I ask that out of your great wealth of strength and mercy, that you will reveal to me in every moment how to exist solely to TRUST YOU FOR THE GLORY OF YOUR NAME.

God, I believe that if my every breath brings forth that belief – all else will follow.

I will worship you.

I will tell of all the things you have done.

I will pray to you with faith.

I will daily pick up my cross and follow you.

I will love you, and therefore, love the world.

I will live justly, in a right relationship with you, and therefore, spread justice through righteousness in all I do around this earth.

When others see me – they will see Jesus.

When you see me – you see Jesus.

May my every step serve to TRUST IN YOU FOR THE GLORY OF YOUR NAME, meanwhile pointing others to you.

May the face of Christ, and the definition of grace – the Cross – be written all over me and all I do, speak, sing, pray, write, think, dream, and believe.

I am your masterpiece created in you to do good works which you have prepared in advance for me to do.

I want to forever trust in you with all my heart, and lean not on my own understanding. In all I do, speak, sing, pray, write, think, dream, and believe, I want to acknowledge you – for you alone make my paths straight.

You are the way, the truth, and the life – no one can come to the Father except through your Son, Jesus.

For it is by grace I have been saved, through faith, and this is not of myself – it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.

I was bought with a price. I am no longer my own. I am yours.

SO HERE AM I. SEND ME.

I trust you Father,

Meg

Identity Christ Is

“For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God Himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband – Christ. But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.” -2 Corinthians 11:2-3

This week has been filled with questions, and the Lord has pruned my soul with each one.

A week ago I made myself sick with stress as I broke into tears beneath the burden I so quickly loaded on my shoulders.

I was taking 21 college credit hours and working a job on campus while maintaining my extra-curricular responsibilities. God never asked me to do that. But I did. Why?

It is both humbling and disturbing to realize sin manages to creep into our lives each day. I think the worst part is that so often we are oblivious to its stronghold in our lives.

“You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face.” -2 Corinthians 11:20

In over 16 years of schooling, I have never put significant focus on my grades. I usually tried my best, but never stressed about making that A – until I realized I could make all A’s my latter-half of college.

Being a perfectionist to the core, the double 4.0 GPA boost, my name on the Dean’s List, and the “honors” student title not only enticed me, but they each combined to fuel a new personal addiction.

Whether you want to call it a struggle, an idol, a secret sin, a stronghold, or an addiction – my latest is simply this: performance.

Knowing academic perfection was becoming within reach, I formed a tight grip on my new resume additions and was not letting go.

“How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?” -Galatians 3:3

I got permitted to take 21 hours this fall, forced into the classes I needed to be in and hired for the job I applied for. With every door that opened, I felt like I needed to walk through it. God never asked me to do that. But I did. Why?

My new 4.0 standard was quickly permeating my relationships as I found myself easily angered with my innocent family members when they did not view extensive studying as a crucial part of my day.

This performance mentality immediately translated into my spirituality.

“You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for He is the one who called you to freedom.” -Galatians 5:7-8

Each day I would examine myself and analyze whether God was glorified in me that day. Each day I fell short of my expectations, and I did not let myself forget it.

“More of you and less of me” categorized my prayers in a twisted way I am sure Paul never intended.

God never pulled out a measuring stick for my faith, and He certainly never asked me to. But I did. Why?

Somewhere in the midst of the last nine months I have spent desiring for the Lord to be the ONE I worship, I have lost myself in Christ. But this is not the sentimental Christian radio tune about losing myself in the unending love of Christ kind of lost – I lost myself and I did not know how to find me again.

All I could think about was Jesus. In every situation of every minute in the day, all I could see was Jesus. No matter the question, the only answer I could imagine was Jesus.

We are called to live in the world, but not be of it. As followers of Christ, we are called to make disciples. One basic requirement of that divine call is to be able to relate to those still stumbling in the dark.

I had lost touch with my ability to relate with those who have yet to believe the Good News of Jesus Christ.

“Meghan, these days it seems like someone has to love Jesus to be able to love you,” a wise and precious woman told me. “I don’t believe Jesus ever wanted to be a fence between us and relationships.”

I believe the Holy Spirit used this woman to speak a mighty truth into my soul yesterday.

I have been so adamant about pursuing my relationship with Christ, that I have slowly stopped fervently pursuing His people in this world whom He is waiting to redeem.

The more I stared into the face of Christ, the more He turned my eyes to see His people crying out for a Savior. But every time He shifted my focus from upward to outward – I shifted it right back up, and ultimately, right back in to myself.

I have dedicated far too many prayers to repeatedly requesting the Lord’s presence would shine through me to the degree that when people meet me, they would see Jesus. How selfish and unbelieving can I be?

As a daughter of the Most High King, the Lord has my heart – all I am is His. Of course He is going to make Himself known through me – and there is nothing I can do on my own to make that happen.

All I can do is trust in the Lord’s faithfulness with open hands and a surrendered spirit.

“Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law – I stopped trying to meet all its requirements – so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.” -Galatians 2:18-21

This story is not about me. It is all about HIM.

Praise God He opened my eyes to the burdens He never asked me to carry this week. Praise Him for encouraging me to let go as I dropped a class, dropped a job, and finally dropped my performance analysis.

Today Christ set me free from my sin I had become such good friends with. Christ set me free from worrying about myself, so I can see the needs of those around me that Christ longs to meet.

I can only preach freedom to the degree in which I have experienced it. Praise God for His unending grace He lavishes on His children at all times! The Lord is good, and He is forever worthy to be praised.

“So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.” -Galatians 5:1

God is molding us each day for His glory. What is keeping you from fully experiencing the freedom of what has already been done in Christ today?

I pray you would join me in learning how to find joy in living a life of freedom in the Lord. The more we love Him, the more He will love His people through us. So let us embrace love. Let us embrace CHRIST.

Praying for you as we intentionally pray for this world,

Meghan