I was attending the Acts29 Texas regional conference today in Dallas, Texas and we sang a song that I haven’t sung in a long time. Now I love the new cutting edge worship music that is popping up all over the place from churches such as Elevation Church and Northpoint, but sometimes I think throwing in these old songs to stir our memories (and maybe our theology) could be a healthy practice.

So this morning as the worship played and the leader sang a few songs that were powerful lyrically and musically, I could sense the presence of God in a real and tangible way. I didn’t know any of the words or the musical patterns but there was no mistaking the move of the Holy Spirit.

Then it happened. They went back in time, to 1971 to be exact, and sang a song that helped shaped my passion for God as a kid. They sang “Because He Lives” by Bill Gaither. Over the next 5 minutes as we sang that song, my heart connected to God’s and He allowed me to reminisce a moment in time when I was fearless. I wasn’t worried about how I was going to pay for college, or where I would land in ministry, or who I would marry. I was unashamedly abandoned to the cross.

Perhaps it was the innocence of youth or simple inexperience of the hardships of life. Regardless, as I sang that song today I prayed a dangerous prayer. I prayed that God not let me remember if I He wasn’t willing to carry me back to that place in my heart. God, don’t let me remember this beautiful time in my life when nothing else mattered as much as my calling and pursuit of serving you if I’m not going to find satisfaction and fulfillment in that very thing. I can’t handle any more failure or regrets.

Yes, I realize how stupid a prayer like that was. Of course God wants me to be at that place in my heart where I allow His power and calling to outshine my fear. Of course He wants to fulfill that calling beyond even my own perception of what that even looks like. That prayer was more of a war cry for me reminding me that He has not changed. He has not moved. His calling has not been canceled.

Today, regardless of my circumstances and situations in life, I sing, “Because He lives I can face tomorrow. Because He lives all fear is gone. Because I know He hold the future and life is worth living just because He lives.” Will you stand and sing it with me?