Soul Fuel: Thanks for the Reminder, Mumford & Sons

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 - 11:09 AM CST

And I came home
Like a stone
And I fell heavy into your arms.
These days of dust
Which we've known
Will blow away with this new sun. --From "I Will Wait" by Mumford & Sons (watch the "I Will Wait" video)

When did you come home? For me, it was the summer before my sophomore year of high school. I had been running away from Jesus my whole life, knowing that He was waiting for me to come home from the lifestyle and choices that brought me nothing but days of dust to a place of freedom and forgiveness.

Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28, NLT).

And yes--I fell heavy into His arms.

Have you?

So break my step
And relent
You forgave and I won't forget.
Know what we've seen
And him with less
Now in some way
Shake the excess.

Have you forgotten? I haven't. How could I let the fact that Someone died for me and paid the penalty for my sin somehow slip my mind? And He has helped me shake the excess from my life. The useless, the meaningless and waste has been crucified and I am a person whose step has been broken and redirected towards following my Savior.

But I will wait, I will wait for you.
And I will wait, I will wait for you.
And I will wait, I will wait for you.
And I will wait, I will wait for you.

Are you waiting? Because He's coming back; don't doubt that for a second. Here is His promise to return:

The Arrival of the Son of Man will take place in times like Noah's. Before the great flood everyone was carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ark. They knew nothing--until the flood hit and swept everything away.

The Son of Man's Arrival will be like that: Two men will be working in the field--one will be taken, one left behind; two women will be grinding at the mill--one will be taken, one left behind. So stay awake, alert.

You have no idea what day your Master will show up. But you do know this: You know that if the homeowner had known what time of night the burglar would arrive, he would have been there with his dogs to prevent the break-in. Be vigilant just like that. You have no idea when the Son of Man is going to show up (Matthew 24:37-44, The Message).

There are people who aren't waiting, just like there were people in Noah's day who couldn't fathom the idea of a flood. So they lived each day as if the next day will be just like the day before. What a terrible day it was for those who didn't believe God's promise and ensure their salvation.

And how sad that day will be when Jesus returns, as He said, for those who didn't wait.

But Christians who wait in expectant hope for Jesus to return and take His children home live each day like it might be their last, because it might be their last. When you wait for someone you love, your attention is fixed on the moment your eyes will meet and you'll know that it was all worth it.

So I'll be bold
As well as strong
And use my head alongside my heart.
So take my flesh
And fix my eyes
That tethered mind free from the lies.

Will you be bold? If not now--when? There are billions of people who haven't heard about Jesus Christ and His offer of salvation. Their tethered mind hasn't been freed from the lies that God doesn't exist or that Jesus didn't come back from the dead. So use your head alongside your heart to reach them with the Truth of the Bible and the love that God has for them.

But I'll kneel down
Wait for now
I'll kneel down
Know my ground.
Raise my hands
Paint my spirit gold
And bow my head
Keep my heart slow.

That's where it starts, doesn't it? Kneel down as you wait for Christ's return and ask God to give you an opportunity to share the gospel and live for His cause--THE Cause of making disciples who make disciples. Raise your hands in worship and let others see how your relationship with Jesus has truly painted your spirit gold.

Thanks for the reminders, Mumford & Sons!

Lane Palmer serves as a writer for Dare 2 Share Ministries International (D2S) in Arvada, Colorado, a ministry committed to energizing and equipping teenagers to know, live, share and own their faith in Jesus. For more information about D2S, please visit dare2share.org.