Can You Feel It?

It's like a narrative, struggling with the reality of God, but then seeing that He's not just an antiquated idea in a book, or a distant guy in the sky, but He is here, right now. The Savior has come, He is here, He is everywhere. I can't wrap my mind around it.


Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
The love in this place
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
The grace in this place
Can you feel it?
Yeah

Life makes it so hard sometimes
To know what's real
Life makes it so hard sometimes
To know what's real
Oh, this life makes it so hard sometimes
To know what's real
Oh, this life makes it so hard sometimes

Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
The love in this place
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
The grace in this place
Can you feel it?

When I can't feel You there
When I can't see You there
When I can't comprehend that
You are there
You are there
You're everywhere
You are everywhere

Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
The hope in this place
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
Can you feel it?
The peace in this place
Can you feel it?
Yeah

When we can't feel You there
When we can't see You there
When we can't comprehend that
You are there
You are there
You're everywhere
You are everywhere

Our God is here
Our God is here
Our God is here
Our God is here

We believe You're here
We can feel You here
We can see You here
We believe You're here
You are here
You are here
[David Crowder]

After studying in depth for the past few months on the subject of love and God's perfect love and how we are called to love just as God loves....reading these lyrics just fill me with so much joy. I mean, as christians we are called to be like God, to be holy as God is holy, to love as God loves, and to reflect His love in our relationship with others. More than anything I long for the perfect love, and although we are not a "perfect" race, God has called us to strive for that perfection and that's what I long to do. I realize that these lyrics aren't anything more than just a few repeating lines to some of you, but if you can truly grasp the whole concept of God's grace and love then maybe you can appreciate this too. I love Crowder's lyrics. They are amazing. And this song, amazing. God's love, grace, peace...amazing.

It's far too much to fully comprehend. I want to love like this. I want people to wonder how I can love so peacefully and gracefully. I want to be all-understanding and all-loving. I want to love like God loves, just as He has called me to do. Oh, this life makes it so hard sometimes to know what's real. I want to be real, I want the love in my life to be real. You and I, real. [Even when you can't see me, even when you can't feel me..] I know that's hard sometimes to comprehend, but when I say "I love you" it's not just a feeling, it's a consious decision I make every day. God is teaching me everyday how to love you better, God is teaching me how to love you all better.

Can you feel it?

Awakening

I was awakened on November 4th when I not only witnessed, but experienced the powerful documentary by Hillsong, inspiring me to be something bigger than myself, to do something bigger than what I thought I could do. I was inspired and ready to spread the love. I left the theatre speechless, feeling helpless in the giant face of poverty, loneliness and deep need, but at the same time I was so full of hope for what could be. 

I was awakened on January 4th in Atlanta, Georgia when I sat in Phillips Arena at 2p.m listening to Louie Giglio and Marilyn Skinner talk about the children in the Watoto Village in Kampala, Uganda: The orphaned, the rescued child soldiers who no longer had a family because they were forced to murder them. At Watoto they were given a home and a family, they were given food and education, and they were given the love of Christ. Hundreds are being not only rescued, but nourished, because of the Skinner’s faithfulness to their calling. 

I was even more awakened on January 5th when Louie announced that 1.3 million dollars had been raised to overwhelm the goals of 12 organizations that had come with a purpose and a passion to Passion2010, which proved to be contagious to 21,000 college students.

Upon returning to Abilene in preparation for the spring semester I was awakened, broken and inspired: I was newly awakened to different things going on around the world, both inside of my country and outside of my country. I was broken for those who are unfortunate and mistreated, wishing so bad there was something I could do that would make even a dent of difference. But I was inspired to find something I could do to make a difference. 

I was knowledgeable, and no longer naive. Little did I know that being awakened to the great need in the nations would shake me to my core. I am constantly replaying the images I have seen in the videos, photos I have seen on the internet, and stories I have heard through many mediums. I keep researching, googling, trying to figure out something I can do from here in Abilene, or somewhere I could go for a short period of time after this semester ends. 

The earthquake shook Haiti on January 12th, just a few nights after I first read about this orphaned Children’s home called Danita’s Children. It’s been a month. And I have thought about those orphaned Children every day since then. I have visited Danita’s website every day since then. I have printed out a missions application to go to Danita’s children. 

Will I go? I don’t know. I sure hope I can find time this summer to fly down there for a week or two to love on these children. And while I have stirred up this high, this passion for compassion, this passion for the less fortunate and the unreached, I am having a hard time discerning whether or not there is a call. There is so much need, how can I not be called?

There is so much need in Uganda. 

There is so much need in Haiti. 

But what about the need in Abilene? 

I want to do something now. I don’t just want to sit around with a passion to do something, I want to actually do it. 

"Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world." James 1:26-27

Lord, I don’t want to be religious. I want to be a servant. I want to be a disciple. I want to be your hands. 

Use me?