"Shine your light and let the whole world see…" Praise Chorus Lyric
This happens to me a lot; in, of all places, church. Hymns I know well, worship chorus’ I don’t have to read the words to, stanzas of music I recognize and can sing along without prompting…worship songs dedicated to God that flow out of my soul without really realizing what I am saying. Occasionally some of the words hit me and I’ll stop singing and think about them – like the ones above… “Shine your light and let the whole world see…”
Is this what I really want God to do? Do I really want to let the whole world see? Do I really want him to blaze his light full-blast through me? Do I really want to make that claim? I stood there and counted the cost of what the lyric implied.
Because the way my mind works I made up a few more lines to go with the first one - sung by me a third below melody – “As long as you don’t embarrass me,” “As long as it you leave my plans be” “As long as there is no fee” “As long as it benefits me…”
I quickly came up with conditions to God using me as a lighthouse.
I sat down in the pew (well, actually theater seat – but you get the picture). Was that how I really felt? God can use me as a light beacon to others as long as I don’t get embarrassed, my life isn’t messed up and a cost isn’t incurred? Yikes – who am I to give God a “can and cannot do” list?
I have gotten to a point in my life where if I feel God is telling me to do something I do it, no questions asked – sell your car (check), move to California (check), sell your condo (almost check) go to Africa, India, Asia (check, check, check), tell that person this from me (check), walk up to that stranger and pray for their knee (um, um, um, stall, um, ok um, check?).
This reflection, based on a nine word line of a song, brought about revelation. In team I am great with faith-based adventure – praying for the sick, encouraging the poorest of the poor, chatting with strangers about Jesus – but on my own – by my solitary self, I ain’t so bold. If I know you are a Christ follower no problem – but if you aren’t, I don’t want to risk offending you, embarrassing myself, or making either of us uncomfortable.
Does this make me a spiritual chicken?
Fortunately my revelations are usually followed by action - see and area of “ick” in my life and do something about it. So I got a book (for those who know me stop saying “surprise, surprise, surprise”) The Ultimate Treasure Hunt by Kevin Dedmon. This form of evangelism makes sharing Jesus palatable to the sharer and the receiver – the receiver walks away knowing God loves them, cares about them, and you walk away knowing that God had them earmarked for you to intercept them.
I don’t what to have lighthouse restrictions. I don’t want to have a “can and cannot do” list pinned to my spiritual chest for God to read when he comes around with assignments. I want to be bold and share the faith, hope and love that I have found.
What about you? Is there a condition keeping your light from shining full, bright and steady? What “can and cannots” do you have pinned on your chest? What would it take to have those removed?
Updates:
Living – I am in the final month of condo ownership! By the 12th of May I should be “condoless”!
Work – The Big Weekend – our bi-annual retreat starts at 7pm tonight, and I am in charge! We have a speaking engagement at Google on the 13th, and we have three more books to get to the printers before May 1st (one was sent Wednesday – Praise God!)
Requests:
Living – that the sale with go through without issue.
Work – for the retreat this weekend – that people will feel God’s hand in their lives hear his voice in their ear
Fundraising – if this blog or any of the past entries have touched your heart please donate toward my upcoming trip to
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