Christine: "GRAB YOUR STUFF"
okay,
wow, what's happening. I can't believe this.
*I squat down to get my stuff*
Christine: "Let's go! We're
jumping the railing. Stay together."
I
really need to clasp Mary Claire's hand. My phone is almost dead. I can't get
lost in this sea of blue.
Out of the corner of my eye I see my
brother's girlfriend passing. I call her name, and she turns around. We hug and
express our mutual amazement. This is unbelievable to everyone.
I
have to keep going.
*I almost slip; someone breaks my
fall*
There
is so much liquid on these bleachers. I've gotta keep going. I'm almost there.
I'm at the bottom.
Random guy: "Hey, I'll help you!
Be careful.”
*A guy ushers me over the rail and
into the bushes*
These
bushes are definitely prickly. I hope I didn't pick my leggings. Whatever,
that’s not important. I'm still in shock.
Me: "Mary Claire?!"
Whew,
she's right behind me. We made it.
*I look up and see the masses heading
in my direction.*
There I was, standing on Pat Dye Field
in Jordan-Hare Stadium where Destiny had just overcome Dynasty sending the
Crimson Tide rolling home. War eagle.
Rod Bramblett was right, "they
were not gonna keep 'um off the field tonight".
They definitely weren't going to keep
me off the field. I stayed on that field for 45 minutes amidst orange shakers,
blue clothes, reverse rammer jammer cheers, and Auburn family members to bask
in the glory of what had just gone down on the ground under my feet. I was
right there; the reality was palpable. This had really just happened. After a 3-9 season, Auburn had not only followed
up with a now-historic win over Bama, but also a win in the SEC Championship
and a first-class ticket to Pasadena on the 6th. That one moment decided so
much; it was a moment of pure bliss and absolutely ranks in the top five
moments of my life.
So how did I get there?
It
only took a second.
One moment I was biting my nails so
worried (and sick to my stomach) at the thought of Bama making the 56 yd field
goal, and the next I was hugging everyone in sight after watching Chris Davis
run the short field goal attempt back 109 yds into the end zone. And all of
this happened with just 00:01 on the clock. One
second can make a world of difference.
This begs the question: Do you
understand the power of a second in your life?
I would like to think that many of you—like
me—have no concept of the power of a second, or more specifically, God's power
within that second. But in an attempt to seek wisdom, I turned to a character
in the Bible who seemed to trust the power that God has to do anything in such
a quick and unexpected manner. This man's name is Jeremiah, a prophet of God.
He prays in Jeremiah 32:17, "Ah,
Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and
outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard
for you."
----Let that sink in for a second----
Now, the chapter of Jeremiah 32 starts
off by relaying that Jeremiah is imprisoned by King Zedekiah of Judah because
he prophesied that the Babylonians would take over Judah and capture the King.
Zedekiah is not too fond of this prophecy, so that’s why he’s holding Jeremiah
behind bars. The King then asks Jeremiah why he would prophesy such a thing,
and Jeremiah basically says, "Because God told me to, duh," (okay,
not really in that form, but you get the point. humor me). Jeremiah then
continues by describing how God told him to "buy the field with silver and
have the transaction witnessed," (Jer. 32:25b). So Jeremiah bought land
while the Babylonians were taking over. When he handed over the deed for the
land to a guy named Baruch, he prayed the words above. How powerful.
It seems to me that Jeremiah was
called to complete strange tasks that did not seem to correlate, but was
entrusting God to make sense out of the mess surrounding him. He knew that the
Babylonians taking over, his arrest, and the field now in his possession were all just a
part of God's greater scheme, and so he proclaimed that NOTHING is too hard for
God. God can change whatever he wants,
whenever he wants. He is not bound by
time or obligation. Jeremiah was aware of this and knew that he was imprisoned
for his true King, spent money at the call of his true King, and most of all,
was joyful at the powerful identity
of his true King.
Are there things happening in your
life that feel like planets out of rotation—completely random and unrelated?
Does it seem like some struggles that you experience lack hope? Do some places
that the Lord calls you to seem dry and desolate?
Well, the good news is, if those
questions apply to you, you are not alone in the body of Christ. Your family
members constantly forget the power of their Savior and honor a weakened
version of Him accordingly.
See, what the kingdom needs to be
aware of is that every second (every struggle, victory, tragedy, etc.) is on the line and out of our hands. God holds
every second in His capable hands. He
directs our steps and our circumstances with love. We get haughty and think we
know what’s best for us, but God has gone before and protects us from the things that we think we need. After all, He is our perfect Father, and fathers
desire to take care and provide for their children out of love.
From studying this passage in
Jeremiah, I believe that Jeremiah knew that God owned his time. He was obedient
to the call without hesitancy. He prayed expectantly knowing that nothing was
too hard for our God, and this radical belief and trust set him in a position
to see God do big things.
You know, God does unbelievable things
constantly, but if you’re not looking and asking Him for a revelation, you
might not notice it. I know that when I look back on my 19 years of life, I see
multiple times when God saved me drastically from sins, situations, and
struggles, and I was very unaware of His work until years later. Basically, if
we ask passionately and whole-heartedly, we will see Him work. God will work even if it is in a way that is unexpected or seemingly undesired. Be in awe at
the power of your Savior to change the course of your life in a second.
Essentially, prayer is of vast
importance. It isn’t about prayers being answered exactly as you desire them to
be, but it goes much deeper. C.S. Lewis once said in response to someone
ridiculing him about how his prayers had not been answered, “That’s not
why I pray, Harry. I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I’m
helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and
sleeping. It doesn’t change God, it changes me.”
Prayer, honest prayer, strengthens the
bond between you and God. It heals wounds; it’s a facet of worship. I can
guarantee you that in Jordan-Hare Stadium on November 30, 2013, with 00:01 on
the clock, thousands of Auburn fans said the short prayer I said, “Lord, Auburn
could sure use a win.” I wasn’t testing God, and I was aware that it was just a
game, but God did something drastic with those prayers. He gave us an
unbelievable win that Gus orchestrated but God ordained.
Yes, God would still be on the throne
if that other team had won, but that’s not my message. My message is: submit to
the one who has the power to change your life in a second. That’s how long it
took for him to save our souls on the cross—your struggles are no different.
So seek to live a life of faith and
prayer like Jeremiah, so that you can build up your relationship with Christ
and dwell on the power he possesses. Believe that he can move mountains, cure
the sick, remedy your breaking heart, bring love into your life, heal
friendships, feed the hungry, provide for monetary needs, comfort you, give you
focus and endurance, pick you up when you need carrying, and give you glimpses
of eternity. NOTHING is too hard for Him. Jesus even says in Luke 18:27, “’What
is impossible with man is possible with God.’” Find freedom in the fact that if
you’re saved by Christ, this powerful God is on your side.
Lastly, expand your imagination. His power knows no
bounds because nothing is too hard for him. Not even 00:01 can hold him.
