Grace So Great That We Can Say “Yes” From The Cage

We’re like birds in cages, flying about, so focused on not getting too close to the walls that we don’t even realize that the door out was left open. And it was not left open by accident.

I had a chat with God tonight in the fifth pew from the front on the left-hand side of Dimnent Memorial Chapel.

“Hey, God,” I whispered, “Where do I go from here?”

But it was a selfish whisper. The true whisper said something more like, “Where do I go from here? …AND I’m a Communications major, I’m not going to a third world country, it’d be great if I could have a boyfriend, I’d like to get an A on that Statistics quiz, tomorrow I hope I can sleep in, and maybe next Thursday I’ll forgive my friend for hurting my feelings.”

And I heard a voice speak over me, I know your heart.

In that moment, I saw the limitations I had placed in my heart that affected my relationship with God. Nothing can fix my failed relationships. I’m disappointed. I’m not wanted for that position. I’m not good enough, I don’t have the intelligence to play that part. I’m not brave enough to reach out. I’m not competent. I’m not qualified. And, most of all, I’m scared.

How would I react if God calls me to wake up early tomorrow? Will I roll over and sleep, or go where He leads?

It comes down to one question: Will I say yes to the calling God has for me?

An event called The Send took place tonight in Dimnent Memorial Chapel. Worship leader Lindy Conant of the band Jesus Culture lead worship and members of the Ekballo Project presented part of their documentary about the way the work of Christ is moving in the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal.

Side Note: For any who followed my blog last year, you may vaguely remember a rather short post about The Ekballo Project (in case you’d like a refresher, you can find it here: Ekballo Project: Be the Answer). The work they have done in the past year is incredible. I encourage you to check out their website here to learn more: http://ekballoproject.com/

Christ came to the earth so that we could be liberated from these chains. These limits are not our destiny; they have been replaced. They have been replaced by grace and sufficient preparation so that we can say “yes” when God calls us from the cage.

Too often we put limits– consciously or unconsciously– upon the capacity of our all-knowing, holy God. And although tonight’s focus was upon the ways the Spirit is moving through Nepal, we don’t have to travel around the world to share Christ. We can walk down the hallway of our dorm. Invite our lab partner to Chapel. Let go of a grudge.

All of the limits we place upon ourselves in the cage are part of the lies that we accept as the truth. We don’t have to be perfect before God calls us. When we have a call, He prepares us to fulfill that calling.

By speaking the name of Christ, we can provide a home to the homeless, a father to the orphans, a key to the lock and the chains of the people around us. An invitation for a bird to see the opportunity to fly out of the cage.

Here’s a video sponsored by the Ekballo Project I’d like to share:

Keep up with me @hopesophie17 or shoot me an email at sophie.guetzko@hope.edu with any questions or comments. Have a wonderful, blessed, and safe weekend.