Lanes in the Here and Now

This past week, we saw a lot on social media and in the news about a satan-branded performance at the 2023 Grammy award music show. Admittedly, the performance was alarming, even to several of my non-religious friends who thought the whole demonic worship thing was a bit much.

Most of the talk around it focused on how desperately depraved our culture is and how scary it is to be raising kids in this space. Lots of fear, lots of grief.

And I get it. There are many realities of our culture for which fear is warranted. The consequences of sin and evil should bring us all to our knees. (Also, wooo-weeee were those pants tight.)

But seeing the collective perspective on it all, I was reminded so deeply of a truth we often forget.

Hang with me here:

Acts 17. Paul is talking to a group of intellects who spend all their days chasing the next Big Idea in their culture.

He enters their conversation, says I know you speak of an Unknown God, but let me make him a little more known to you…

”From one man, he [God] created all the nations throughout history. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him, though he is not far from any one of us.”

Thought he is not far from any one of us.

Not at this point in history, not at that point in history. Equidistance in all.

I love these verses. Because they remind us that not only does God know who we are, He knows when we are.

He placed us, in fact, with incredible intentionality.

He places us and then he states – countless times throughout scripture – Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged, for I am with you.

He says: I am right here. Still. Even. In spite of.

Right here.

Oh? And you have a job right here, too.

Your job is to love Me, love others. Your job is to make disciples. My kingdom come, through you, right now.

This is the opportunity we have. This is the story God is wanting to write with us and through us.

Not in the “good ole days”, not when things seem a little less scary, not in the future when _____ is fixed or _______ is in government. Not when we get it all together, not when our circumstances are different.

No one too young, no one too old. All have been placed with purpose.

Some of us have the lane of corporate America. And in that lane, their mission is to point to God.

Some are in the lane of education – students, teachers, administration. Their job is to point to God. Bring heaven to earth there.

Some are in the lane of infancy, of toddlerhood, of childhood. Their purpose is to point to God. To bring his unstoppable joy, his uncontainable laughter to this world.

Some are in the health lane, the athletic training lane, the creative lane, the non-profit lane. Their jobs are to point to God. His kingdom come.

All of us. Where we are. As we are. At the age that we are.

Ain’t nobody called to cower on the sidelines.

He calls us to here, to now. We each have a lane.

And? No lane is too far, too dark, too hopeless.

Think about some of the hardest, grittiest places in earth.

Pediatric oncology ward?

God sends his people to bring love and hope there. Might not be you, but it is somebody.

The underworld of trafficking and exploitation?

God sends his warriors in to draw his children out all the time. You may not be sent, but many are.

Prison?

His kingdom is continuing to be built there. It’s not my thing, but it is many of my friends’.

Now here’s where it gets fun:

The beast that is American music and entertainment?

Is this possibly a lane that God has people in?

Resounding yes.

It’s funny….in all the talk of the performance from hell, I hardly heard anyone talk about Maverick City Music that night.

You see, the same night we heard famous artists either denounce biblical Christianity or openly invite demonic activity,

that same night, God had Brandon Lake on the stage in front of thousands of the most influential artists in the world, accepting an award, giving a speech during which he boldly proclaimed:

“Never underestimate what God can do with a seed….in a season where the world is riddled by fear, we know that perfect love casts out fear. And that love is Jesus Christ and so if you’re dealing with that – man, turn to Jesus.”

Look – to be honest, I’m REAL glad I’m not in the Grammy lane. (Not that there’s any remote chance of that happening, but still.)

But I am called to my lanes. Lanes that may seem weird or small or even scary to others, God has stationed me with purpose in this culture.

I have mine, and you have yours.

And we are all called, in 2023, for the sole purpose of bringing glory to God’s name.

In this world, we will have troubles. We must be wise as serpents, innocent as doves. Jesus said as much.

But we can also take heart, for he has overcome the world.

So stay in your lane. Fix your eyes not on lane 3, not the scary bits of lap 4, but straight ahead – squarely on Jesus, the author and perfecter of YOUR faith, your race.

He is making all things new, even here, even now.

Stay the course! Get up offa that sideline and get in the race.

Let’s run, the whole lot of us.