There has been a song that I have listened to recently occasionally, okay, a lot. It is one that I have previously blogged about and have shared with many of my friends. It is called, “You Make Me Brave” by a band called Bethel.
I love this song.
<<insert big cry in the car with the music blaring and snot flowing emoji combination here>>
There are different parts of the song that I have had a lot of time in between one thing and another at camp to sit and think about, mainly when I mow the grass because I have it on repeat.
Obsession. I know.
The first part is like this. “As your love, in wave after wave, crashes over me, crashes over me. You are for us. You are not against us. Champion of heaven you made a way for all to enter in.”
Wow.
God’s love being compared to a wave makes a lot of sense to me. Think about a wave. Everyone that I know if you are a friend of mine has been to a beach before. Standing out in the water feeling the breeze blowing you in the face and feeling the sun shining is a great feeling and then BAM. Little did you know as you were looking at the sky watching birds fly by or children playing that a wave was coming. Or maybe you did know because after all you are at a beach, and it was bound to happen. This is life. Standing out in the midst of God’s grace distracted by other things anticipating his love to capture you but unaware of when it is going to happen and then BAM, it hits you and sweeps you off your feet.
At it all makes since and you have a classic, “aha!” moment. This is true in my life. Sometimes I have things going on and I am just wading out in the church thing and doing my life and then BAM, I have a “God smacked me with his love and grace and all I could do is fall to my knees, catch my breath and try this thing called life again”
The next part of the wave we are all familiar with. After you collect yourself and learn to stand on your feet again and you anticipate the next BAM you are a little more prepared. You are anxious and feel your heart skip a beat as you wait for the next one to crash you and break you down to the sand again. Sometimes it takes a while. Sometimes you stand there and the ocean has a bigger picture in mind and might just be saving up another wave for you that will smack you silly.
Then you go home. Sad face emoji. Only to anticipate the next time you come and experience the waves again. This to me is where in life you are unsure and you stray away, but because the beach is awesome and so is God’s grace you find your way back only ready to be smacked by love and some salt water again.
This is my life. I have been hit by grace and God’s love before and know what it is like. There have been times where I have waded in the waters that God has provided and been continually hit by his grace and love and hope and joy and warm fuzzy feelings. Yet there are other times where I pack up and call it quits. That was where I was this past year. I felt like calling it quits because I waited for the wave and waited and became anxious and had my hopes up only to be saddened that my BAM took a little bit longer. There have been things while wading out in the water to distract me and keep me from paying attention to the things He has in store. And the patience has run thin.
And I have been guilty of packing up and going home.
But that life is over.
This summer I have felt the waves. I have felt the breeze of his spirit working through me. And I have been shown the love that I once packed up and took with me. There have been many people that have helped me back to the waters that I know of all too well. I have had friends that I havent seen in a while be there to talk to 12:11 in the morning when we are both tired and sweaty and emotional and just given me hugs, that I desperately needed. I have seen the lives of children be changed even if its only for a week, because I have helped them on the shore even if it is by serving them bacon and eggs and wiping their toilet seats. And I have felt his spirit work through me this summer.
I am thankful for God’s waves of love, and cant wait to see my next wave. I welcome it with open arms. To be brought to my knees by his power and presence.
So beach, get ready. I have my chair, my drinks, my friends, and my spf 4 with instant bronzer. Bring on the sunburn and sandy underwear because I am not leaving the beach ever again.
Ever.
Permanent bum.
The last part of the song is short and sweet and that’s why I wanted to mention it last.
“You make me brave, you make me brave, you’ve called me out beyond the shores into the waves”
I couldn’t say it any better myself. I know I have been called into the unknown and the waves because who has fun on the edge of the water. Dive in. Because He is making me brave to go out into the waves and experience his life rocking world spinning love.
And I cannot wait.
Regardless if the negative sometimes outweighs the positives and I anticipate the next wave for a while.
I am a beach bum. And cannot wait.
#Outtie
