Truly Living

It has nearly been two months since stepping foot back on Canadian soil after nearly a month in Southeast Asia. It is hard to believe how quickly time passes by and with it how quickly one can forget the things that touch our hearts in one moment.

I find myself often reflecting upon the passions that settled into my heart the first weeks home and the fire that burned inside of me. I desperately wanted to keep that fire alive. Is that not the struggle of our generation today: the struggle to stay alive. The struggle to keep our heads above water so as not to drown. The self made attempts to keep oneself afloat in a busy life with no time to pay attention to the needs of our world. No time to pay attention to the needs of our families. No time to pay attention to our need for God.

School can run you down. Working on the next big paper knowing that when you finish it is time to study for exams. Finishing one day at work looking forward to the Saturday you will have free only to fill it up with coffee dates and long bus rides to the big city. The rush of life. The constant go and little rest. Little time to remember that we have been placed on this earth for a reason. To busy to think that our lives must have a greater purpose then simply living.

What is truly living? I thought of this question much upon my return home. We are just little humans I thought. We work, eat, spend time in our small houses isolated from the world around us. What really do we do that is of great significance and importance?

Sitting on these spoken words of my mind I said to myself I really want to make a difference in this world. I want to do more than just live. I want to really live. 

Our God promises us a life lived in joy abundant. He promises to take us to places we never imagined we would go. Our God is a risk taker. Abraham was asked to leave everything he knew was comfortable to go start a life a voice told him to start. Paul was refused his plan to go Asia and obediently followed the voice of the Lord that called him to Macedonia. Josephs safe teenage life was interrupted by jealous brothers in order that something great would come out of a simple life.

Are we any different? I look at the simplicity of my life and the meaningless things that cry out to me - and I grab them instead of grabbing hold of my Father who calls me to a greater life. Do I sit contended in my corner of the world or do I grab hold of those passions with genuine hope and faith? To believe that the God of the impossible hears the desire of my heart to do more then just live. To embrace the call of transformation by giving up the struggle to stay afloat and gazing at the savior as He grabs hold our hand and pulls us up. Saved by grace to do good works out of an incredibly thankful heart.

Oh my soul. Fix your eyes upon Jesus. Take up faith like a shield to the force of fear. Warrior of the ultimate army raise your sword high with the authority He has given you and follow as the head of the battalion leads you into the fields of victorious promise. This is truly living.