A Ride of a Lifetime

About 6 or 7 years ago, my husband gave our church fair warning that in a few years, whenever our 2000 Honda Accord huffed and puffed its last breath, he would purchase a convertible. It wasn’t a midlife crisis. It wasn’t poor stewardship. It would just be the first time in our marriage when he would be able to get a car that he preferred. Starting a church and raising a family removes most time for hobbies, so I was very grateful for Chris to have a little fun and some lighter moments in his day.By driving the Honda until it literally cost more to repair it than it was worth, we saved up and purchased an 8-year old convertible sports car. Chris drives it the vast majority of the time, but I’ll sometimes take it when he needs a bigger car or it needs to be serviced.Every time we’re swapping keys, Chris will tell me, “Make sure you drive with the top down.” Usually, he also teases me to try out the accelerator, too.[bctt tweet="Do you know what it feels like to drive with the top down?"]So, what do I do?Occasionally, I’ll heed his great thoughts… but, more often than not, I keep the top up (so I don’t mess up my hair) and poke down the road as if I were driving a clunker. I act as if this stick shift only has a first and second gear.As I thought about these missed opportunities, I couldn’t help but see that this is how many of us treat our relationship with the Lord. God desires for us to experience all of Him. He wants us to have the wind in our hair, the sun caressing our face, and our faith taking us on a ride of a lifetime. Instead, we stay in our cautious rut and occasionally wonder if God really has the power to do something significant in our life.I think God’s begging us to try the third and fourth gear. Would we even dare to rev the engine?If our life is always safe, we’re very likely not asking God to do anything God-sized. To paraphrase my hero Henry Blackaby, people are never changed by seeing us do things for God; they are changed when we call upon God to do God-sized things.[bctt tweet="People are changed when we call upon God to do God-sized things."]This past week, 125 pastors from all denominations and races came together to take one step forward to heal the wounded history of the city of Memphis. I think all those involved would say God showed up and made us hungry for more of Him. Pastors across this city are asking God to do what only He can do.In each of our lives, God’s working around us. What is that God-sized thing the Lord is daring you to pray for? What is that God-sized thing He wants you to take a step forward in? In your family? In your place of employment? In your school? In your church? In your city?Life is short. May we be children of God who dare to pray and dare to be used in such a way that we live a life with the top down and the Son on our face.