Who can stop us?

If you have even gotten within ear shot of a church with a more contemporary worship service you have heard Chris Tomlin’s “Our God.”

The song is beautiful. It is an excellent example of a Christian using his talents to create good art.

As our church performed and sang along to the inspiring words this past Sunday, I was troubled by the question it asks.

And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us,

And if our God is for us, then what could stand against?

God is the creator of all. The entire world exists at his whim. He speaks the sun and moon and stars into being. He breathes life into our lungs. There is no one like him.

And he is our God. He loves us. He sent his son to die for us. To restore us back to him.

And the question is meant to stir us on. To encourage trust. To stimulate action.

I ask the question again because the answer is critical.

Even though God is for me, who can stop me?

Me.

I am what gets in the way of my doing and saying and being everything that I can for God’s kingdom.

My fear of what others will think of me.

My lack of trust in who God is.

My love of comfort.

My love of myself.

My lack of love for others.

And so the question I have to ask after singing the song is how do I keep myself from getting in the way of what God can do through me?

Stop making excuses and just start doing.

Sign up for that mission trip. Make the call to a long lost friend who is angry at me. Adopt a child. Bring a warm smile and firm handshake to a homeless shelter. Take cupcakes to a nursing home. Encourage everybody you come across today. Give them hope.

Take a leap of faith. Not a small leap. Not one that you already believe that you can make. Jump across a canyon so wide that it seems impossible for you to land on the other side much less survive the fall on the way down.

photo by iStockphoto

Jump to a place where only God can take you.

For the first time, get out of your own way.

Knowing that God is for you, what gets in your way? Share in the comments below.