Imagine your wildest dream. What is your deepest desire? If you could have just that one piece of life you're missing what would it be? If you could change one thing about yourself, or about your past would you? What are you too afraid to hope for?
Jesus is the melody the the universe sings. He fills every gap. He makes every path straight. He fulfills the deepest, most hidden longings in our recesses of our hearts; the desires we shove away in fear that they are pathetic and will never be fulfilled. He perfectly fulfills the expectations we force on ourselves and others. He is what we really are looking for in every circumstance. He makes way for perfect belonging and acceptance. He leaves no room for us to have to change anything about ourselves. He is hope, and he sets us free to actually be able to hope again. He sets us free to dream, to believe, to love, to be loved, to confront pain, to be weak, to have victory over the things that haunt us day in and day out. He took the punishment for our sins so we can be perfectly accepted. Because of him we can begin to accept ourselves and our huge failures. We can begin to accept others and their huge failures. He suffered alone on the cross as the payment for our sins so we will NEVER have to suffer alone again. We have help. We have love. We have Him if we put our faith in Him. He is too, too good to us. He is too, too good to me. He has changed everything about my life. I am new and I am free. Everyday more fears and doubts come, and everyday they melt away in His presence. There is no room for fear or worry in the presence of Jesus; He is too loving, to powerful, to...complete and steadfast. He is consistency.
There are no holes in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is all encapsulating. It is good for every single area of life you ever have, or will encounter. It will never expire. In fact, like good wine it only grows better and sweeter every day. His love and grace will outrun and exhaust your sin and fear. He is the BEST thing that has ever happened to me. Many things try to take his place, but all make terrible gods. Religion, sin, family, relationships, fantasies, adventures...they all leave me empty at one point or another. Jesus takes all of those things, redeems them, and makes them sweet again. He frees us up to enjoy him and enjoy his gifts. Even the hardest of trials and the deepest of suffering can start to taste sweet.
It's a miracle. All of it. I am walking miracle. My old, dead, miserable, sinful heart is now brand new, full of life, hope, peace, joy, love, and Jesus. Surrrreeee, life is still life. Not everything is magical all of a sudden. I struggle day in and day out. There is a civil war raging inside of me a lot of days. But this war is different than most. In fact, this war is not much of a war at all because this war has already been won. I don't have to guess or worry about the outcome. It was already won 2000 years ago on a cross in the Middle East when the God of the universe sacrificed everything and suffered on my behalf. He suffered my punishment, died my death, and then made a public mockery of death when we awoke himself from it as if it were a petty cat nap. Death is what unites all of the world and all of history. It is our common enemy. It is what motivates and terrifies us all. Jesus is the only one in history not phased by deaths wicked sting. Newsflash: We weren't meant for death! This wasn't the way things were meant to be and you know it. Something is terrifyingly wrong with the way this world works. Sin has brought death, and Jesus is the answer to our sin. He is King over it and King of all. He proved his authority when he put sin and death to shame, and there he also proved his relentless love for you, and for all the world. He wants to redeem you so you may have joy, and so you and the whole world will see how WONDERFUL and GLORIOUS and LOVING and POWERFUL and MERCIFUL and MIGHTY he is.
He is life abundant. He is everything you've ever wanted, and more than you could ever imagine that you wanted.
"But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul." - Deuteronomy 4:29
"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever." 1 Chronicles 28:9
"The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing" Psalm 34:10
"Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart." Psalm 119:2
"I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me." Proverbs 8:17
"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near." Isaiah 55:6
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7
Do not be afraid to seek after the one you were made for (and by). You're heart will be safe with him. Just watch it come alive before you're eyes like you never imagined it could.
“Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and you will delight in the richest of fare.
Give ear and come to me;
listen, that you may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.
See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
a ruler and commander of the peoples.
Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations you do not know will come running to you,
because of the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor.”Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the LORD’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.”
- Isaiah 55
Trust me, I know why the caged bird sings. I was a caged bird for many years, hopelessly trapped by my sin and empty religion. I tried everything to get out on my own but it was useless. But then Jesus stepped in and opened my eyes to truth; to himself. Now I see, now my heart sings, now I am free. If you want freedom, ask me about Jesus. Come like you are with your baggage, doubts, anger, and fears.
"The free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends and dips his wings in the orange sun rays and dares to claim the sky."
