As an American I was sitting on the shore of Australia, which is quite exciting when you’re home is on the other side of the world. It was 10.00pm and we were waiting for the moon. I was told that at 10:30pm the moon overtakes the ocean. And this was no normal moon, it was supposed to be brilliant, glimmering and full as it reflected off the ocean and onto our faces. Our conversation that night was one of hope and fun.
As if the world stood in the palm of our hands and whatever might come from our lips would shift and form the globe as we spoke. We were told our words have power, to shift things and to make things real or at least make things better.
Glowing Sand
Laughter filled the air, poems were recited and we were running our hands through white sand, which danced with glowing algae as it moved. It was the first time I had seen sand glow. It was my third week in Australia and I was with five friends who I didn’t know would become some of my best friends over the next six months.
Let’s wrestle together
If you have been following my articles over the last year or so, my wrestling continues. My hopeful and fun articles have turned into articles with the title, ‘Wrestling Christian’. Those two words have started to classify who I am. Have you ever had an argument trapped in the recesses of your mind? One that you don’t want to let free because if you spoke it, then perhaps it would become real?
Do words have power?
On that night in Australia, I wanted my words to become real. I wanted the world to shape into something that is life giving, moral and good. But what happens when you speak good words and nothing happens?
The moon rose at 10:30pm, right on time. It was everything we were expecting and more. The words we had been speaking went silent as we gazed upon this big beautiful ball. It was overlooking the ocean, the beach and five friends sitting on white glowing sand. As we gazed, my life was good.
We danced
Yes, we looked like fools. But who cares? Because when your home is on the other side of the world and you feel like you’re free, then who cares what you look like? We were jumping around, hollering and telling the world, trapped in our palms, ‘YOU WILL CHANGE INTO SOMETHING GOOD!’
Let me be clear, I didn’t think the world was going to change because of me, but because of the God I served. That Father God actually had the ability to change things and He could use me to do it.
Truth
I still believe this. That God can use me to change the world. I believe that changing the world doesn’t mean becoming Martin Luther or Mother Theresa. It means becoming more of who God created ME to be, not who God created someone else to be. It also means that if God uses me to change one person, then I have changed the world. Because they are part of the world.
Truth hits reality
When the difficulties of life set in and things happen that can’t be explained. When I realize that no matter how hard I pray or speak out ‘truth’, it doesn’t actually change anything. It’s in this realization that I become apathetic. This is when questions start rolling around in my head and I wonder if I should keep speaking and praying good things. Do those words have power to change anything?
Here’s where I end. Not with an answer, but with questions, because an answer will keep me stagnant. But a question will keep me moving and hopefully moving towards the God that created that moon and glowing sand.
My challenge to myself and the reader: Let’s allow our questions to drive us towards God, not away from Him.