Holding you, I held everything
For a moment, wasn’t I the king
But If I’d only known, how the king would fall
Hey who’s to say, you know I might have changed it all
And now, I’m glad I didn’t know
The way it all would end, the way it all would go
Our lives, are better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I’d of had to miss, the dance
(From the song The Dance by Garth Brooks)
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18
Extirpate: “to destroy completely” Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Sometimes it can feel as if our lives are up to chance. The dances we share are fleeting and we feel lucky just to have had them. Happiness comes and goes. Purpose is almost the same as luck. And fun is rewarded with punishment. Life is a dance. A dance unlike any other. Ya, it can get tiring. Toes will be stepped on. And there will be lulls in the excitement. But when we have the right partner, it’s never up to chance. God said to the children of Israel in the midst of hardship and punishment, when there lives were worse than we could ever imagine. “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 Throughout the Bible you can see the dance between God and His people. You can see the struggles, the hardship, and the sadness. You can also see the victories, joy, and peace. But they were never by chance. God has a plan for each of us if we should accept. Plans to prosper us and give us a hope. That prosperity and hope can be found in Jesus. The writer of Hebrews 12:2 says, that “He’s the author and perfecter of our faith.” Life can be up to chance. But only when we’re not dancing with our Maker. Throughout history you can see God’s people being punished when they left His will for their lives. When they began to worship other God’s or acquiesce to the peer pressures of the nations around them. And if we’re honest, we can see that in our lives too. When we forget God, when we succumb to the temptations presented to us by this world, things can go a little haywire. Maybe that’s when we get a DUI, an STD, or some other acronym nobody wants. I’m not saying that living in God’s Will, will always lead to happiness and laughter; it won’t. But in God’s Will there is peace, and joy, and purpose. There are times when serving God can seem like it comes with chances. Over 100,000 people a year die in this world because of their Christian faith. Still, it’s not by chance. Because even death has a purpose with our Savior. Without Him, it has none. There is no purpose in death, hardship, sorrow, etc, outside of Christ. He’s the only source of redemption, salvation, and meaning. He’s the dance partner we should all have. He holds us and says, “I am The King.” “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:16b A life lived with Him will never carry the phrase, “I might have changed it all.” Because in a life with Him, we may not know how it all will go, but we will know how it all will end. On the Cross, Jesus extirpated death. On the cross He ensured a better, eternal home. A home of perfect love, a home without fear, a home without chance. On the Cross He made this dance we share eternal. And it’s at the Cross that we can join Him in eternity. Let’s commit our lives to that dance.
Daily Journaling Questions:
How did I help someone in kindness today?
What did I learn today?
What am I thankful for?
Who did I love today?
What am I dreaming of?
What about today do I want to remember forever?
What are my goals for tomorrow?
Thanks for reading,
Jake