Saturday, January 13, 2007

on the verge of a revolution


I am inspired more and more every day, every minute. It's growing inside of me, this feeling that I can't shake; I can't let go of it; I can't ignore it. How long has God been silently screaming at me, "WAKE UP my precious daughter and hear the words I'm speaking straight to your heart.” It is as if I have been lulled to sleep by this world. I have become like the world. Even though I have heard this verse and totally believed I’ve been living it out, the truth is, I think I have fooled myself into believing I was doing anything close to what it says:

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12: 2

My mind is finally being renewed! I feel like it's all around me, God is speaking to my husband, my friends, to me to rise up and start a revolution. It is irresistible! I have an urging in my heart I cannot resist!

A song has been in my mind all morning since I read the comments posted by my friends. It’s “Verge of a Miracle” by Rich Mullins – a non-conformist, I might add.


Verge of a Miracle

Clung to a ball
That was hung in the sky
Hurled into orbit
There You are
Whether you fall down
Or whether you fly
Seems you can never get too far
Someone's waiting to put wings
Upon your flightless heart

CHORUS:

You're on the verge of a miracle
Standing there
Oh you're on the verge of a miracle
Just waiting to be believed in
Open your eyes and see
You're on the verge of a miracle

Here in your room
Where nobody can see
Voices are loud But seldom clear
But beneath the confusion
That's running so deep
There is a promise you must hear
The love that seems so far away
Is standing very near

When you've played out
Your last chance
And your directions
Have all been lost
When the roads that you look down
Are all dead ends
Look up
You could see if you'd just look up

Are we on the verge of a miracle? Are we on the verge of a revolution? I should stop looking to myself for the answer and look up!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

[sigh]

Anonymous said...

I WANT TO BE A PART OF YOUR REVOLUTION! (well, I guess it's really God's revolution, but you know what I mean ;-) Ever since middle school when God really began to grab hold of my heart, I've always said that my goal was to be able to look back at my life and to know that the world was different because I had been there. But I think I'm just now barely seeing what it would take to really accomplish that. I used to always think living a "subtle" Christian life was the best way to reach the unreachable. But my thoughts about Christianity and Christ are becoming increasingly more radical each day. I guess my struggle is how to make my life as radical as my thoughts. I am totally with you on the whole "middle ground" dilemma. Maybe the concept of having a "middle ground" is an American construction. Jesus said to sell everything, not just sell some things and keep enough to make sure you're comfortable.
Just to give you a little idea of how radical my thinking has become, I've thought about writing a book called something like "The Jesus I know is a Socialist." Talk about shaking up the American, mostly Republican church. But when I read the gospels and Acts, I see Jesus calling the Church to be so utterly "others focused" and "unwittingly generous" that I do believe Jesus embodies socialistic ideals more than capitalistic ones. Did Jesus ever place importance on "picking yourself up by the boot-straps" or "climbing the ladder to success" as glorifying God? NO. Jesus encouraged selfless abandonment, unconditional compassion, and helping those who least deserved it. Jesus' ministry was about getting down and dirty, being face to face with the sick, poor, and unlovable. It was never his goal to climb the ladder of success and look comfortably down at the people. It was about shoving away everyting that would make him comfortble and successful.
OK - one last thought and I'll shut up ;-) I was told by friends that John Piper said something amazing at Passion '07 a few weeks ago. It went something like this: "People will never follow you because of everything you have. Instead, people will follow you because of what you COULD have and CHOOSE to give up."
If we as Americans COULD have everything, and yet CHOOSE to give it all up, could that start a revolution? How can we be catalysts in this revolution? What is the cost? Are we willing to pay it? Where do we begin? Where do I sign up?

Lindsay said...

i am officially the last person to join the discussion! however, i am with you. the tension about this whole idea/life has been building in me for some time now and it's like i still can't figure out how to live it out. i can't wait to start this journey tomorrow night.