More Than Halfway There! (spiritually for sure; physically: exactly 1 day to go)

     So, tonight's service was crazy awesome. Just full of God. What an absolute hit. It hit hard, then it uplifted. By the end, my constant prayer was that the extra measure given to us be like a weight that would be physically felt. That it would push us further into awe and just put in us a spirit of obedience. Then, that we would be raised up on that foundation by the fresh fire Pastor was praying for. It really was a service to grasp onto. I loved it. I always try to start my time with God by praying for His Word to write itself on my heart so that I can know and recognize Him. Pastor called to that tonight. He asked us to firmly plant what God is doing in us. To rest on it. To push in it. To grow. I felt the weightiness of that moment; You couldn't not. We're a church poised for action.

Poised: Steady, in readiness, assured, having an elegant bearing

--> Those are the worldly definitions for poised. Can you imagine knowing the definition of His call to action? We're learning it right now, with every moment we give to Him. I know not the plans He has, but we are most assuredly living in a time of preparation.

Jeremiah 29:11
"'For I know the plans that I have for you', declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not calamity to give you a future and a hope.'"

--> He's got them covered.

     The service was about working through this year of transition. Pastor talked about how on Friday, we're officially halfway to 2012. About what that means. About how we've made it to this point. About how NOW is the time that makes or breaks us. We've made it this far, now is the time for a change. Now is the time for the push. Now is the time we give to God. Now is when we put things in His Hands. Now is the time we put ourselves aside. Now is the time we stand on guard (halfway point: Canada Day - that's just awesome). Now is the time to walk His path. Now is the time to surrender ourselves to Him and Him alone. It was also about how now is the time to leave the past behind to change. To transition in our verse of the year.

Philippians 3:12-14
"Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

     What a push! Then, he spoke about the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). About the transitions made through the story. How the first half of the story is about the son living his way, prodigally, sinfully, carnally, and basically living a wasted life. About how the second half of the story is him returning with a repentant heart. He returned to serve, he put himself aside, and the acceptance he found was amazing. Too amazing; Too hard for us to grasp. It's something so of God.

     Tonight we grasped onto God. Really grasped onto God. Grasped onto Him as HE IS, not as how we would have Him be. We can't pigeon-hold God. He can't fit into any box I can make. I need to stop trying. I need to accept Him for Him. He is all that is good; I know that. Still though, I struggle with what He has for me. I have trouble just accepting what He does. That He could love me. He does though. He loves every single one of us. We just need to know Him. To live for Him. To love Him. To live in His love, in His light, in His truth, and just in Him. In Him. In Him alone.

     Tonight, we reached out. When we reach for God He's there. Always. We just need to finish the year by continually reaching for Him. It's the only way to complete anything. Living for Him - It's the only way to be whole. The rest of the days of this year I'll live for Him as I never have before. I want that not just for the year, but for always. Forever. Continually. Towards the "upwards call of of God in Christ Jesus". We'll keep transitioning. I don't want to stop moving towards Him.

The song of the service. I love it:

It was an amazing service. Grasp it:
It's The Second Half! June 29th, 2011