Friday, July 23, 2010

Faster!


I don't really remember when I started praying for God to use me. I know it was back in Durango, as my life started to turn sharply toward God. I have come to understand that to be used by God happens daily. If I were to be honest, I would have to say that the root of my prayers is to be used by God and that it be His will, not mine, that if fulfilled. It's really rather funny to think about what happens when you get honest and really start praying a prayer like this. If you haven't begun to pray like this, it's like you’re in the amusement park, but all you’re really able to do is look at the rides, not get on and enjoy them. I'm not talking about giving it lip service either. Those prayers where we say things like, "God, if it's your will that I get a parking place up front, then so be it." That is almost like getting on one of those kiddie rides that goes really slowly around in a very small circle. Woo hoo. I'm talking about a prayer that is almost hard to get out of your mouth. Cuz when you think about it, you start to get scared about what God's will for your life might be. We become comfortable in our life of predictable routine, and we think this must be God's will. But we are still standing in this line looking up from the safety of the ground at that big ol’ ride. Heck, some of us aren't even in the line. We're standing off on the side under a tree, drinking a beer. Not that anything’s wrong with that; at least we're in the part.
 
But I want more than to watch from the sidelines. I want to be able to get in the line and do the hard work of waiting and praying to be allowed to get on the ride. I want to find myself strapped in and, with a jerk, realize that this is the ride of my life and I have not one bit of control over this baby. I know you’ve been on that ride at least once—where you get to the top and you start down the other side and you are screaming your head off. It's the biggest rush, and you are just hanging on for dear life. This is what it's like to be used by God. It takes your breath away and scares you and fills you with the desire to do it again and again. You've seen those kids that get off the rides and run to the end of the line just to do it all over again? Heck, you could be one of them! So I invite you to join with me and to start thinking about praying to be used by God. You don't have to get in the line if you’re not ready. In fact, I'll get in line and save you a spot. You just let me know when you want to step in. The excitement is building as I think of not having control, holding on for dear life and screaming my head off, “Faster, God! Faster!”

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