I Will Rise

There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise


I will rise

As you probably know, these words come from a wonderful song on Chris Tomlin's Hello Love C.D. I'm truthful by saying its one of my favorites, yet the full truth is that nearly every song on the C.D. is a favorite. It's choked full of good tunes, good lyrics, good messages.


And my faith shall be my eyes – since hearing those words for the very first time, they've stuck in my head as a sort of spiritual goal to reach for. How wonderful it would be to live a life where we're lead from place to place not by our eyes, yet by our faith. Oh, to be blind to the world.... Louie Giglio, Matt Maher, Jesse Reeves, and Chris Tomlin are the songwriters.


I got up this morning with the lyrics from this song in mind. I start my day often with the intention of making a difference for the Kingdom, but too often notice the afternoon shadow has crepe across the wall as the clock reads five-thirty, and there's little evidence I've even existed.

It's not that I lack a calling, a game plan, the energy level to get things done, you know the really important things. None of these. So often the problem is with the execution and lack of focus of my eyes. I'm like a child looking here, then there, then back to here. So much catches my eyes that I'm often frozen for far too long throughout the day, week by distractions of many a sort. Next, I look up from the bed and see that it's once again sleep time and the process begins again. I will rise once again in the morn, I suppose.


So many places to go, so many people to see, so much learning to be had, so much love to share, so many feet to wash, yet I'm led all to often by my eyes, not my faith. Gotta get out of this rut, gotta get focused in my heart. Gotta rise up and be about my Father's business and not my own. Before my God fall on my knees........


My friend Ken has a great adage but I can't remember exactly how he puts it into words, yet it says to my heart; 'I get into peoples lives for business, but find God has placed me there for so much more.' I like that. I want to be that. I want the blessings that come from that. I want the sense of satisfaction that comes from being obedient. I will rise up again this morning with those objectives.


Mother's Day is just a few hours away. Will I rise up to be a good son, honoring my Mom for all she has done?

My son lies in the next room. Will I rise up and be the Father he needs today?


Rooms full of loneliness across the street. Will I rise up and head over to the nursing home that so often cries out for me?

Hearts a breaking, lives turned upside down, marriages being destroyed in many a friend's life. Will I rise up and pray today, I mean really pray?

I just finished a book which left me with only a so-so feeling about what I learned from it. I was excited after hearing a review of it by Jimmy Buffett of all people, so I ordered it right away. Mr. Margaritaville said, The Language GOD Talks; by Herman Wouk led him to think about the purpose of life and the existence of a higher power, which he had not entertained in many a year. To me that was good enough reason to throw a few bucks Amazon's way. Hey if this book can make a long standing, self-proclaimed Agnostic rethink, maybe I need to learn it's secrets also. I wasn't so moved. It's a tough read from a seventy-something year old writer that communicates at a much higher level than I can comprehend with ease.

Yet, with that being said let me share the quote Wouk uses as a central theme throughout, other than the claim that God speaks in the language of calculus. I know, go figure! It comes from a conversation he has with renown scientist Richard Feynman and here's my best shot at paraphrasing the encounter.    Feynman describes in intellectual detail the vastness of a universe with billions of planets and a space that spreads across an infinite plane, yet we are to believe that we're merely here as a Godly experiment to see if we choose good over evil?

Thus he concludes, the stage is far greater than the drama, so Feynman believes it can not be true. There is no such creator, nor purpose for our lives. Wouk, (who greatly admires Feynman) goes about the business in this book, not to disprove his theory, yet to say it is merely possible that it's not accurate. Thus a trip to nowhere for my simple, small mind. Though I didn't exactly fall head-over-heels in love with the book, it's nice to see Jimmy Buffett is still willing to explore the possibility he doesn't have all the right answers. That there may just possibly be more to life than the pleasure which comes from Dark Jamaican Rum, though as memory serves me, that's good also.

So why am I sharing this with you at the risk of boring you to death? It's to make this point. When we see our lives without purpose. When we see the world as being too big of an elephant to eat, even one bite at a time. When we have such a bleak outlook for our future existence – we'll struggle to rise up. You see as I was describing from my personal experience it's tough enough even when you know your life is purposed. It's a struggle to focus on the important issues at hand though you have a game plan. Live is hard we often cry, so the role of servant-hood in the midst of merely getting by becomes far too much of an expectation – thus we fail to rise up.

We, as true believers know - that we know God created the universe and all that's in it for His pleasure. Our lives say we do the same. We could have a yard without flowers but we choose to plant because this brings us joy. We could choose to never have children, after all the world is full of reasons as to why we shouldn't, yet we conceive because we draw pleasure and joy from our children, and even more so from our grandchildren. We're much like God. We create for the mere purpose of inner joy and pleasure so why is it so hard for some to accept the notion God does likewise. The planets, the galaxies, the earth, the people upon the earth is all His creations purposed to bring Him pleasure. I'm pretty sure that's Bible stuff right there, and I didn't just make it up.

Rising up comes from purpose, comes from focus, comes from a heart full of His love. Let our Faith become our eyes is a prayer cried out only by the most willing of servants.

Have you noticed there's a stirring in the church in America today. Pastors are moving beyond the church of old as if the Bride is getting ready for a June wedding. Walls which have separated the church from the hurting and the hungry for far too long are being torn down. Everywhere you look new churches are being formed by church planters. These aren't just more of the same old churches, these are ministry-driven churches. Congregations of folk that want to feed the hunger, house the homeless, care for the sick.

They are coming together asking in one accord that God heals spirits, families, communities, and cities. In Birmingham, in Dallas, in Knoxville, in Houston, in L.A., in Simi Valley - all across this land believers are rising up by the thousands, millions. Not motivated by some political rebellion, but by a calling to serve, a calling to be about the Father's business as the twilight is upon us.  Rev. Francis Chan describes the motivation to do so as being a “Crazy Love” and I like that! A crazy love for the One that has shown from the very beginning to have a crazy love for us!


And I will rise when He calls my name - A willingness, a focus, a purpose, a desire, a crazy love all will lead us to rise up today, and again in the morn. doug