There's Still Fire In Me Yet

Does it have to start with a broken heart. Broken dreams and bleeding parts. We were young and the world was clear. But young ambition disappears. I swore it would never come to this. The average, the obvious. I'm still discontented down here. I'm still discontented. If we've only got one try. If we've only got one life. If time was never on our side. Then before I die. I want to burn out bright.  A spark ignites In time and space. Limping through this human race. You bite and claw your way back home. But you're running the wrong way.  The future is a question mark. Of kerosene and electric sparks. There's still fire in you yet. Yeah there's still fire in you!. I keep cleaning up the mess I've made/ I won't run away. I can't sleep in the bed I've made.

The lyrics above are to the song that begins when you open this blog. They are sung by John Foreman lead singer and co-founder of Switch foot, though I prefer his solo work over the bands stuff.   This song is reminiscent of a classic Neil young tune and is echoing the current state of my heart. I don't want to fade away I want my light to burn so bright that it is gonna take a tsunami to put it out.

It has always been there, a constant subconscious knowing driving me forward.  When I came home from Cambodia, I actually said it out loud  and to another person no less. "I was created to do great things." It may sound conceded to you, but it rings true to me. I am not satisfied with living the status quo, I am not satisfied with good enough, I want great! Not to my benefit but God's glory. It's a passion that run's deep, an emotion I can not define. Perhaps the best way to illustrate it is to say "If you were meant to fly, not even running really fast is that impressive." I am working towards what I don't understand, trusting in the Master's plan, believing that it is bigger than me and it's going to leave a lasting legacy. There is something in my spirit that insists on greatness! My spirit knows there is a greater purpose for my life, a God-sized dream(s) waiting to unfold and become my future and it won't be satisfied until it is fulfilled.

For myself greatness is not defined by fame, or fortune though I am not adverse to these things if it provides a greater means and platform to bless others and glorify God.  Greatness is knowing I made the greatest difference I could in the lives of as many people as possible resulting in both temporal and eternal benefits for all.  I want this world to be a better place because I was in it. I want my life to be lived at it's best for God and others.  Is this conceded and self-centred? I don't think so, I would certainly hate to live with the alternative.

In Erwin McManus' book Soul Cravings he says "All of us begin our lives fuelled by curiosity, yet far too many of us replace it with conformity" I fear this! I would hate to get to heaven, stand before God and have Him say "Well done, good and faithful servant, did you enjoy your time on earth" to which I reply "I certainly did" "I am well pleased" says God "but this is how much more I had for you to do, these are the blessings I had prepared for you and as a result others, but you let fear, insecurities, apathy and disobedience, get in the way"

"Some people seem to live in a very small universe. Their world has room only for themselves. while their souls have every potential to be ever expanding, they seem instead to be the center of a collapsing universe - no room for dreams..." Perhaps some give up their desires along the way. Greatness placed on the back shelf of a life overwhelmed with obligations. Dreams given way to present desires. A settling for less than God has for us, in exchange for what the world has to offer and instant gratification. I think society sometimes beats us down until we give up our uniqueness and conform. "It is only as we loose our childlike innocence that we begin to settle for far less. A part of growing up seems to be acquiescing to mediocrity. It's easy to say that we're just becoming realistic, that it's just a part of growing up, but in fact it is the death of our souls"  Imagine if Martin Luther King Jr. did not fight for the dream God placed in his heart, or Mother Teresa. What would be the detriment to my life and the lives of those in my influence, if I were to compromise, to settle for anything less than what I was created to do, created to be, all that God has for me.

Let me ask you a question "If you could do absolutely anything for God, and knew it would not fail, what would you do?" 

I love what the message bible paraphrase says in 2 Corinthians 6:11:13 "I can't tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn't fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren't small, but you're living them in a small way. I'm speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!" 

We musn't allow our curiosity to be replaced with conformity.    Let's break free from our comfort zones and dream - dream big, every plan and purpose God has placed in our heart released from it's cocoon and set to flight.  Live - Risk - Fly -  change the world - in ways that will ripple into eternity and set us free! There's still fire in you yet.