Will you humor me and imagine something with me? What would happen if there was a generation that lived on the earth today-a generation that let their actions flow out of their core convictions? Imagine if the Christians alive today actually lived out their day thinking about the all powerful and all loving God who wanted to reach every person they passed by. What if we really understood the undeserved love that is lavished on us every day? How would you act differently? Would you smile at the people whom you passed on the street? Would you take the time to say 'how are you'-and really listen to the answer? All this was stirred within me at the Radiant Youth Conference I attended this weekend. David Perkins' closing session challenged us to live without caring what others think- to live radically found on our convictions.
+ Romans 11:33-34a Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How wonderful are his riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods! For who can know what the Lord is thinking?
This is the God that we serve. He is wonderful and marvelous; we don't even pray like he is so awesome. God help us!
Have you ever been convicted by a fictional character? Any avid readers would know what I'm talking about. I recently started to read Francine River's Mark of the Lion Trilogy, in it there is a young Jew girl named Hadassah. You see her stand up for her convictions in face of most horrible ridicule. She never speaks a sentence without allowing her heart for an Almighty and all loving God to shine through. Rivers depicts young Hadassah as such a convicted young woman that I felt my heart ache to live with such zeal, such passion. I like to fancy I have my helping of zeal, but when it comes down to it-how man opportunities, the little one-have I passed up in the last week alone. How many conversations have I been involved in without as much as a thought of letting my God come into the conversation. You ask me and I'll tell you God-he is my all, he is my life. But are my actions, my conversations reflecting that? I was moved to tears reading Rivers' book about a girl who faced death because she knew one who held her life. We can't even endure the mocking expressions of friends, let alone the leering of thousands as we are lead out to the center of an arena where hungry lions await. Dear one, how much could God reach our friends-our coworkers-our family if we would make every decision based on the convictions that our hearts were tied to.
One afternoon as I let my mind muse over my life, over my convictions, over the seemingly lack conviction in my conversations- and God laid this poem in my heart. I pray it speaks to you. I pray it challenges you. I pray it convicts you.
Words Laced With Conviction
I want to speak words laced with conviction
In light of heroes of the past
Shadow to follow-their words did last
My steps have hardly followed.
Their words I have borrowed.
But now its time.
I see a girl standing in the arena
No sign of fear upon her face
The crowd jeers and lions roar
She is solid to her core.
An unseen God holds her tight.
The smile on her lips reflect days past
When she stood and broke fear-
Those are the times she felt him most near.
With death at the door
Pain round the corner
Suffering was a small cost.
Her words rang true in the ear of accusers
Her words were laced with conviction.
The conviction I feel with comparison done-
I can hardly stand tall.
Falling down has been my pattern
My fears had wrapped me tight.
But to a fight I've been called-
Flesh against Spirit.
Words of lie are on my tongue
But how am I to live a life without a care?
Will my God carry me there?
I know he has seen passed opportunities-
Too many to count!
Does he still care to use me again?
Am I able to walk the path
Only martyrs go there.
I am to die to self daily.
But my words are full of me
Words are things to easily taken
Words are things to be treasured and spoken
Stand up for your beliefs.
Declare the One God's Glory
Live a life of love
Out loud speak the words-
Words laced with conviction.
How do I measure up?
Fear or Faith
Pain of Peace
Chilled or Charged
Hateful or Healing
Dragging or Determined
Shy or Saving
Helpless or Hearty
Angst or Righteously Angry
Careless or Convicted?
With the power I know
With the Father I have
With the glory I've seen
I must stand.
I will follow the path walked before-
Silence won't rule me now.
My words will drip with passions aflood
No excuses to grand
No hesitation to true
My god calls me forward
No matter the depth of friction
I will speak words of Conviction.
+Job 37:1-5 My heart pounds as I think of this. It leaps within me. Listen carefully to the thunder of God's voice as if rolls from his mouth. It rolls across the heavens, and his lightening flashes out in every direction. Then comes the roaring of the thunder-the tremendous voice of his majesty. He does not restrain the thunder when he speaks. God's voice is glorious in the thunder. We cannot comprehend the greatness of his power.
Friend-this is the God we serve, this is the one we have the privilege to announce to the world. How do we ever go a day without tears for the missed opportunities to point the way? How can we go one more minute without an ache in our souls for a passion that consumes? May your passion be for God alone, and may that zeal rise up in a fire that burns in your words. I pray that God would awaken this generation to live radical lives that drip with the living water that is offered from a mighty, powerful, loving God.
