Thursday, April 24, 2014

Wake up and Stand Up!


Picture by Caprice Miller

“But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.  This is why it is said:  “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” – Ephesians 5:13-14

What a happy face this guy has!  Someone really got their creativity on the day this piece was created.  It’s amazing what people can find to do with stuff anyone else would have thrown away.  But there are some that just look around at random pieces and parts and see…..well…..a colorful “Muffler Man” with a smiling face.  Their creative senses are awakened at that point and instead of just thinking about it, they actually make it happen.  That seems to be the most amazing part – putting a random idea into action.  That’s how inventions are born.  Someone sees something, their mind starts clicking with an idea and they can’t stop until they attempt the idea.  It’s as if their minds are always awake and working.  This is a person that could make the rest of us tired just watching them. 
Many of us would probably admit to being part of the group that may have an idea, but instead of going with it and doing something to make it happen, we stay put and just keep thinking about it…..dreaming about it….sleeping on it.  We are probably just tired of watching that other person working on their own idea.  But the reality is that life doesn’t always make it easy for us to put those dreams and ideas into action.  It’s easier to just not tax ourselves with anything additional on our “to-do” list.  So, we go about our day with our heads down and tail up just checking off the tasks at hand and eventually letting that idea or dream drift away.  It was just a random, passing thought anyway.

There are times when those ideas and dreams may not be as random and far-fetched as they seem though.  Because we were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), it makes sense that we would be creative ourselves.  Not all in the same manner, but in different ways from artistically to organizationally, musically to “culinary-ly”.  That is the beauty of God’s design and it makes life so exciting.  However, most of us miss this really exciting aspect of life because we don’t always see our creativity as such. Instead, we become complacent with our unique creativity and get stuck in the rut of tasks and sleep through the life that God has for us.  It’s time we take the verse above to heart and “Wake Up!”  God has put so many extraordinary things around us, but we take them for granted and have become increasingly “underwhelmed”.  It’s a shame that in order for us to be amazed at His wonders we have to be hit over the head with them at times.  It doesn’t have to be that way.

As you “Wake Up!” today, know that God would like to shed some light on you and your surroundings.  Stand and lift your head up so you can take in what He has placed around you.  Recently I had the opportunity to help, along with MANY others, with the world’s biggest chalk drawing of Jesus (17,000 sq. ft.) in the parking lot of Fellowship Church.  Jesus Chalk Drawing  I had been on my hands and knees diligently coloring in the square I was assigned to for some time.  It was a big square!  I finally took a moment and stood up to give my knees a rest.  As I did I looked around and realized how enormous this drawing really was and how small I seemed in that moment comparatively.  I literally stood in awe!  Sometimes we have to stand up and take notice of our surroundings in the midst of our tasks.  When we do, God will wake us up and open our eyes to what He is doing around us.  It may seem enormous and overwhelming in the moment.  But when we allow Him to take the lead, He makes it come together.  And when we allow Him to do that, it is always so much better and shines so much brighter.   Whatever that idea or dream is, step out to make it a reality and let God lead.  Let Him be glorified through it all and know He wants to shine on you.  And then be ready to stand in awe of Him and life He has orchestrated.

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