Friday, October 3, 2014

Higher

Higher
Posted by Sarah 

“[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him…] - Philippians 3:10 Amplified Bible

The other day I heard a song that made me write. I didn’t quite yet know what to say but it stirred so much, I had to say something. Maybe it was because of the intimacy and honesty it cultivated with my Savior as I sang the words:

I could sit/
I could just sit and wait for all your goodness/
Hope to feel your presence/
And I could just stay/
I could just stay right where I am and hope to feel You/
Hope to feel something again/

And I could hold on/
I could hold on to who I am and never let You change me from the inside/ I could be safe/
I could be safe in Your arms and never leave home/
Never let these walls down

But You have called me higher/
You have called me deeper
And I’ll go where You will leads me Lord/
You have called me higher/
You have called me deeper/
And I’ll go where You lead me Lord/ You lead me/

I think the lyrics from All Sons and Daughter’s Higher struck a cord in me because it was me! For a long time I let fear dictate my life. I listened to fear’s speech filled with the “what if’s” of rejection, failure, and the obscure and dreaded unknown. I agreed with fear’s overly cautious advice until I realized what fear promised never actually happened! In fact it was fear that often hedged me into my little comfortable radius keeping me from the life God called abundant.

The first step to freedom and abundant life happened about two years ago when I gave my life over to Christ. Although God did a major work in my life with fear, I had to daily choose to live differently and live in the reality that I no longer had to fear.

One day while I was having some quiet time, Jesus gave me gentle and loving promise and proposition through Isaiah 41:13 saying, “I, the Lord your God, will hold you by your right hand saying to you, ‘fear not, I will help you.” He would lovingly take me by the hand and help me through my fears. However, the promise was predicated on one thing – was I willing to take His hand? Was I willing to do deeper with Him?

Jesus asks us all this question.

Are we willing to take God’s hand? Are we willing to change? To leave behind what we know? What we think is right or good? To leave our old lifestyle patterns and habits? To go outside our comfort zone? To trust God and not ourselves?  To completely let fear go?

Jesus will never force us. His proposition is gentle and full of grace and compassion. It comes from a heart that wants relationship with us and to grow in intimacy with us. He is calling us higher. Calling us deeper.

That day, I answered. At first it was hard and uncomfortable. It was different. It was change. It was hard. It was scary. But I was assured I didn’t have to fear anymore and I had God to help me through it. Step by step old habits, unbelief, insecurity, and fear began to dissipate. God was patient with my struggles. Gracious when I fell and dusted me off to take His hand and continue with Him.

As I started living the abundant life Jesus intended me to have, I grew closer to Jesus. I discovered more of who He was and enjoyed dialoguing with Him about life. I discovered a relationship with Him.

Out of my anxieties, I learned that Jesus never called us to live the mediocre life, He called us to something greater, something “higher” and “deeper.” In fact Jesus said, “I have come that they might have life and that more abundantly,” (John 10:10).

It was His call to me to come on an adventure and it is our call to us. It may not look like we thought it would and It might interrupt our plans but from experience, I would say those are the biggest blessings and the things that have brought the biggest joy in my life. They were experiences I thought I couldn’t do. Things that I actually feared, but as I took a step, I saw the wonder of God using a person who was simply willing. I also learned precious lessons along the way and
uncovered the beauty of the various shades of God’s nature and character.

That’s the abundant life -- the higher, deeper call God is giving us.

Isn’t it time to stop settling for less?

Isn’t time to answer?