By Tara Beattie
I’m a little late out of the gate with this one but I felt that God put a special message on
my heart to go deeper during Holy Week. So, here goes. I hope you all are ready to dive
deep this week, bear with me as I am certainly not a Biblical scholar.
It was put on my heart to share a word or phrase each day this week with you all. Well,
let’s get going, we are already behind.
Sunday was all about Jesus entering Jerusalem. It was all about him showing up. That
got me to thinking, what is the first step in growing our faith? It’s all about showing up.
Let’s have a chat about what showing up means concerning our faith walks. In a very
literal sense, it means being present, but I would also add it means being engaged and
receptive to the message being shared. You have to allow yourself to be fully present to
encounter the presence of Jesus. You must fully surrender yourself to God’s will. Well,
buckle up darlings, because it’s simply not about you. It’s all about Him. You simply
need to show up and allow God to occupy the driver’s seat. Show up and do not miss an
opportunity to bless someone or experience a blessing yourself. Showing up does not
mean, marking a box off your checklist to attend church. If you are not engaging, then
you are missing an opportunity to experience the love of Jesus. We all know Jesus ain’t
got no time for a lukewarm follower, so step on up! You have to learn to be comfortable
in the uncomfortable. God has created you and equipped you to be a light in the
darkness. How do you be a light in the darkness? Friends, you show up. Great things
happen when some of the most ordinary folks simply show up. A great example of this is
the woman at the well. She was a simple, Samaritan woman who experienced a moment
in the presence of Jesus. She went back to the Village to share of the coming of the
Messiah. That single moment had such a profound impact on her. Want to know how
you can experience God’s presence in your life? Turn with me to Psalm 27:4 (NLT)
which says, “The thing I ask of the Lord- the thing I seek most- is to live in the house of
the Lord all the days of my life.” It’s all about pressing in. Showing up and pressing in.
More of Jesus, less of self. Showing up means practicing daily obedience, praise,
worship and simply seeking God throughout the day. Friends, read your Bible. Know
His Word. Psalm 16:11 (NLT), “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of
your presence.”
Be on guard. The enemy will be coming for you. It is not an “if,” it is “when.” The enemy
will try to distract you when it comes to showing up. The enemy will steal your time.
Something came up and you are too tired to read your Bible. So, here’s a little tough
love, pop those headphones on and go into your room shut the door and listen to God’s
word be read to you. Quit making excuses. The enemy will try to distract you from
showing up to let your light shine through the darkness. Your showing up is a testament
to other believers as well. We are walking our faith journeys together each and every
day. Our stories are still in the process of being written, our job is to show up and be
present.