Our YWAM Ohana met last night for worship, ministry, equipping, and mobilizing the body of Christ, a weekly practice that is such an honor to be a part of. A small group was sent out to serve in Northern Africa, committed to long-term missions, perhaps life-long, in the pursuit of sharing Christ’s love and making disciples. What an honor to hear their testimonies and bless them as they embark on this adventure. If that was all we would have done it would have been more than enough.
But God in His tenderness sent Francis Chan with a word that we needed to hear. Stephen and I have always liked Francis for his humbleness, authority, and how he tenderly yet passionately pursues God and encourages others. A few years ago at church, we corporately read one of his books Crazy Love and were encouraged to live radically changed lives because our Father God has a Crazy Love for us.
So when Chan started his word last night I was prepared to be wowed by a message I haven’t heard before, ‘give me all the glitz and glam, Glory Hallelujah, Fire fall afresh message’… But God out of His abundant love revisited an old word that I have looked at many times, yet maybe not seen clearly. It was a word delivered with humbleness yet adoration, an invitation to His (God’s) glorious inheritance. While I would invite you to all watch this message, I will attempt to give you a cliff notes version.
‘Wouldn’t you love it if God imparted the total of what is coming to you?’ In Ephesians 1, we see a beautiful example of redemption through Christ that moves into Paul’s prayers for the church.
In Love (God’s love, motivated by love) He predestined us for adoption as sons, according to the purpose of His will.
Ephesians 1:5
(I) do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.
Ephesians 1:16- 18
‘Wouldn’t we love it if God imparted the total of what is coming to us?’ Paul prays and CONTENDS for the Saints. He wants them to KNOW the Hope to which they are called.
This really struck me… God loves me, predestined me, adopted me, see’s ME as His inheritance, someone valuable. He wants me to KNOW this so that I can live without insecurities or comparison, without shame, without worry… I could be walking in Power, fully grasping the Hope to which He has called me. This is what I want for my life but why don’t I live like this? Because I still need Jesus to make the eyes of my heart enlightened. This is what I want for my friends, family, my children… so why am I not praying like Paul? Paul is CONTENDING for his church.
As Francis preached I was overcome with a heart that wanted so badly for my kids to get this. As Kadence was the only one with us (she planned to skateboard but stuck around after the message started), I naturally started silently praying for her:
“God would she KNOW your mighty love…would she know the Hope she has in you, would she know her value and worth don’t come from this world… OVER and OVER and OVER.
Not goodnight prayers or flippant prayers I am so good at. But a deep longing to contend for my daughter. For her precious life, she is so valuable. Saints- we need to KNOW the Hope God has for us and if we don’t we need to ask God to impart it to us. We need to Contend for each other and stand in the gap for each other so that the world will see Christ in us… The Hope of Glory.
As Francis ended and the worship team played their final melody, Kadence sneaks over to my side. She puts her sweet hand in mine and lays her head on my shoulder. “I am so glad I didn’t go to the skate park tonight, I cried like 6 times.”
The Holy Spirit met Kadence right where she sat on her skateboard in the Ohana Court. Church if we are faithful to contend as Paul did, to fervently pray for our church, family, neighbor… God will show up in amazing ways. And maybe we will cry like Kadence, or leap with gladness, or feel worthy for the first time ever because we have an invitation to a glorious inheritance.