birth to death

A word that God gave me in Africa has been pressing on my heart a lot today.  Here on earth, we are made to believe that life has a climax, and once it's over, it's all downhill til death. People are constantly talking about "the glory days" of highschool or college or early adulthood, looking back and wishing things could be as they were. People are talking about being in the "prime" of their lives. Living it up while we're young. This is the only life we got. Cram as much as you can into the time you have. And any of us can live that lie if we choose to, but it isn't what we're created for. 

Life, in light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, should be a growing and building process from birth to death.  As we step more and more into eternity with Him, we should only become more in-tune with His heart, His love and passion. We're not supposed to give it all we got for a little while and then "settle down" when we've done "enough." But if we love Christ, we give EVERYTHING to Him, because we know that there is nothing better than being fully in Him. The older I get, the more I want to leak Holy Spirit wonder from every seam of my being. The more I want to rage with the passion of my Christ. The more I want to lead and walk alongside others who are also seeking to bring Him glory.

When God gave me this word in Africa, it was to prophesy over some adults who apparently already know this truth full well--they're LIVING it. But today, God shared it with me again, and it was for me this time. I've been fearful and miserable and lacking in passion lately. I've been trying desperately to comprehend all the un-tied, extra-loose ends in my life lately. And maybe that's my problem: trying to understand life instead of trying to live it. And I've been busying myself with trying to "make every moment count." But some of the most meaningful moments come when you slow down and do everything to the glory of God.

I mess up all the time, but as I absolutely must proclaim everyday because I cannot do otherwise: Jesus has been FAITHFUL to me. Ain't nothin that can stop me from loving Him anymore. Because He loved me first, yes. But also, because He STILL loves me after all this.

And whatever "all this" is for you, I promise you, it isn't too much for Him to handle. If there are things you might be trying to hold onto, or trying to keep safe, know that His hands are the strongest and safest places.

"Love is doing what is best for someone. But making self the object of our highest affections is not best for us. It is, in fact, a lethal distraction. We were made to see and savor God--and savoring him, to be supremely satisfied, and thus spread in all the world the worth of his presence. Not to show people the all-satisfying God is not to love them. To make them feel good about themselves when they were made to feel good about seeing God is like taking someone to the Alps and locking them in a room full of mirrors." - John Piper, Don't Waste Your Life