Freckles And Chimps

The Lift Your Hands Paradigm (running funny) | June 18, 2010

The Lift Your Hands Paradigm (Running Funny)

I remember as a boy being told to lift my hands in church, I was afraid. What would people think, what did I think. I wondered if that was really uncool. The thought never crossed my mind that it might please God if I raised my hands in worship to him. I never thought about how much he would appreciate and value my surrender to him. I didn’t realize that surrender to him actually equates to trusting him. This means more now than it ever has.
As I was running down the road this morning on my way to get milk. I realized that over the past year God has overcome some of the fear of man in me that I have dealt with my whole life. I was buckling the brackets on my new backpack in order to keep it from bouncing around to much. The brackets run across my waist and chest and felt a little odd. Then the idea crossed my mind that this was really awkward and people might think I looked ridiculous. I paused for a moment. Daddy imediatley started speaking to me saying “There are two kinds of people that your afraid of right now and you have nothing to fear from either of them.” “There are self-righteous people who mock because they don’t understand who I am, who you are, who they are or who they are meant to be.” (I have been one of those in the past.) “Then there are people who long for the ability to do what you do but are to afraid to ask how.” (Coincidently I have been that person too). In fact I used to be completly afraid to run in public at all.
The self-righteous people would mock because they don’t have the fullness of joy or the measure of understanding that says You were fearfully and wonderfully made. Although secretly their heart longs to hear and know it. I must come to the conclusion that If I really love Daddy then I will adopt the desire to show them his love. He longs for them to know him and know who he made them to be. There is no need to fear these people. They just need to meet with Jesus and maybe I can present them with that opportunity.
The second kind of people are the, timid ones who stare out of wonder. They completely desire the freedom I have and the knowledge of who they are meant to be but are afraid to ask how to get it, I need to keep my eyes wide open and actively seek to show them Daddy’s love. I realized all this while pausing from my run. Then I took a breath, buckled the straps on my backpack and continued to run.
None of this is to say that I have completely conquered the fear of man. Sometimes I let fear overtake me but everyday Daddy shows me a little bit more of who he is, what he thinks of me and who I am. He wants to do this for you too. Maybe he can use my experience today to speak to you. May you always be growing into a deeper, closer relationship with your Daddy in heaven. Walk with him today!!

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