Called to Action

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” - Revelation 3:21

I remember hearing this verse at a recent conference I went to. It wasn’t the main verse of the sermon at all, but something about it just impressed itself into my heart. Isn’t it just such a wild thought? That God would invite us to rule and reign alongside Him as HIs children just blows my mind. There are different explanations for exactly what this verse means (Revelation is a very complicated book, obviously), but the fact is that we are called to one day reign with Him. Even now, we have been given authority and purpose here on earth, as seen in some of these other verses:

"This is a trustworthy saying: If we died with Him, we will also live with Him. if we endure, we will also reign with Him." - 2 Timothy 2:11-12

"See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy." - Luke 10:19

"But God, being rich in mercy... raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." - Ephesians 2:4-7

Reading these verses confirms something in my heart: we are not supposed to live our lives focused on ourselves and our own imperfections. Yet we so often do, don’t we? Even though we know we’ve been forgiven and redeemed, we so often feel like we’ve failed, like we never measure up, like we’ve got such a long way to go.

But as I read these verses, all I can think is that those kinds of thoughts are so silly and wasteful. Yes, we’re broken. Yes, we’re imperfect and we always will be in a way until we reach heaven. But this isn't meant to be the focus of our lives. I believe the kind of Christians we’re supposed to be aren’t inwardly focused ones, dwelling on our own shortcomings - but outwardly focused on God, and ready to make a difference. Yes, we should be self-aware and working towards improvement. But our lives are not meant to be focused on our imperfections to the point that we're paralyzed. We were created to act. To take a stand against evil, rescue the broken, heal the sick and bring the lost home.

This is the kind of Christian woman I want to be. One who is firm and secure in God’s love. One who knows that while she is far from perfect, she has been given authority and power from her Father to make a difference in this world.

So enough of the self-pity. Enough of the insecurities and the worry and the lies. We are the ones God wants to use to bring hope and healing to the world by spreading His love. Wasting time feeling sorry for ourselves and feeling like we’re not good enough is a strategy from the enemy to keep us from doing what we have been called to do.

So let’s rise up. Let's dust ourselves off form the dirt and refuse to ever stay down in the ground again. You and I are daughters (or sons) of a King. We are loved and we are chosen and equipped through His Spirit (the very Spirit that rose Jesus from the dead!) to love people and bring hope to this world that so desperately needs it.

So let's do exactly that.

#christian #2016