I Pledge Allegiance

"I pledge allegiance to God the Father who is faithful and sovereign, to Jesus Christ who paid the ultimate price redeeming my life and to Holy Spirit who speaks to me and through me, who is my Constant Companion."

These are words I jotted down after worship at Hope Chapel on Sunday morning June 14. I, at the time, had no idea why the word "allegiance" and what it truly means kept coming to my mind during worship. I got into my own little world with my God and began to pledge my "allegiance" to him. The word has been on my mind for almost two weeks now and I'm beginning to see why. I will share with an open heart and a love and desire for God to be glorified.

I knew that Sunday morning God had put that word into my spirit and I would eventually sit down and google what the word "allegiance" means. That was just a few minutes ago and I love, love, love my God and the way he speaks.

Allegiance: An allegiance is a duty of fidelity said to be owed, or freely committed, by the people, subjects or citizens of their state or sovereign. -Wikipedia

He is the Sovereign One I pledge my allegiance to. His heaven is my state of which I am a citizen. My fidelity (fidelity: quality of being faithful or loyal-wikipedia) is owed and freely committed to being in Christ Jesus, in whom I am made whole and complete.

In the midst of the tragedy in Charleston, my heart broke this morning as I finally sat down to read about what happened to those beautiful people in that beautiful church worshipping and learning about our beautiful sovereign God on that beautiful Wednesday night. I pray for healing that only our God can bring. My heart breaks to think also that our nation can be so torn apart. I pray for healing that only our God can bring. The fact is that I am an American and thankful to be one. I am a white southerner and that will never change. The fact is that I also had nothing to do with either of those things. I didn't choose to be born to Ben and Linda Rice in a small town in Georgia in the United States of America. I had NOTHING to do with it. God sovereignly chose all of those things. He decided. He decided where all of us would be born and what color skin all of us would wear and he said, "It is good!" In the midst of tragedy of this magnitude the enemy of this world would love to cause us to hurt even more. That's why I choose to trust that God knows what he is doing today and knew what he was doing in the beginning. I hate the things that have happened in our past and I also know they cannot be changed. I also know and believe that all things can work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purposes.

So today, I encourage myself once again and anyone reading to think about what or whom we really choose to pledge our allegiance to. Is it really a flag we pledge to? Eventhough I get chills and place my hand over my heart every single time I hear the national anthem of our country, it is not my hope. It is not where I put my faith and trust. I pledge to something greater, someone greater. I pledge my life of service, faithfulness and loyalty to the One True God who is beautifully sovereign, who is my hope, who is my redeemer, who is my Constant Companion. I pray you would choose the same.

I believe when we do this, our nation will come together and be healed. God will be glorified again and Jesus will become known and we will be in him, not ourselves. Our God is greater. The light we have is greater than the darkness we face. We're not alone in this Nation under God, Nothing is too hard for our God.

"We're Not Alone" by Elevation Worship

The Second Wind

The second wind... The beautiful sought after second wind...

As I was running this morning, I experienced the second wind. My first wind was totally spent in the first half mile, but I had to keep going. Then it happened...It was great, and because of it I was able to keep running a little faster, a little easier. I finally felt like I wasn't gonna die! I began to think as I ran about the beauty of the second wind and how we desire that second wind in every aspect of our lives. 

While we run this race we call life, there are many times we long for that second wind. It can be an emotional, spiritual or physical second wind we desire and receive from our great God.

The thing about the second wind is that in order to get it we gotta keep running. We can't give up. Eventhough the run is hard and we are desperately gasping for air, we just gotta keep up the pace, keep putting one foot in front of the other. We gotta just keep going as my running path reminds me of so often. Someone took a can of spray paint and wrote that on part of the path. While I don't necessarily condone spray paint in public paths and places it does serve as a great reminder along my way! Just keep going! If we just keep going we will get the second wind. Our bodies have been created for it. 

We run along then comes the hills...the hills of life! The places where we can't see what's on the other side and all we know is it's all we can do to keep up the pace. The second wind is given so we can make it up the hills. When our strength is all but spent on the last step and there are many more ahead before we reach the top of the hill. Some people like to walk up the hills and that's okay. They still reach the top. But, not me. I like, well I don't like, I just choose to run the hills. I choose to run because if I run the hills they'll be over sooner. Just my choice, but whatever you prefer, just keep treking the hill. Soon we will reach the top and on the way up we will gain strength and endurance we didn't think possible. When I'm running the hills whether it be in a physical sense or spiritual sense, I like to remind myself of the previous hills I've climbed with my God as my strength and companion. He is the best running mate I've found yet. I tell myself, there's no hill me and him can't run up and sometimes I can even say in confidence, we got this, this is nothing compared to the hills before.    Make a highway for the LORD through the wilderness. Make a straight, smooth road through the desert for our God. Fill the valleys and level the kills. Straighten out the curves and smooth off the rough spots. Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The LORD has spoken. Isaiah 40:3-5

And then there are the hills that seem so much higher and longer. Those are the ones where I have to remind myself, there is someone stronger, there is someone greater who will take me up the hill. In my weakness, Jesus becomes my strength. He becomes my second wind. He gives me the ability to just breathe deep and continue putting one foot in front of the other.    He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.  Isaiah 40:29-31

As we go up unfamiliar hills and unknown paths, we choose to trust that Jesus is our running mate. Not only is he our running mate, but he has already gone ahead on the path and cleared the way. He's good like that.     I will lead blind Israel down a new path, guiding them along an unfamiliar way. I will make the darkness bright before them and smooth out the road ahead of them. Yes, I will do these things; I will not forsake them. Isaiah 42:16

So, as we keep running this race we call life, just keep going, keep expecting and keep receiving the strength of the second wind. Breathe deep, keep up the pace, and remember we're not running alone.   Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:1-2