A Child...

Well today was the last day of "A Better Way To Worship" Conference at CBC and AWMI. 

The thing is, I've been singing in the choir for the whole thing, and loving it. Found that I actually have a good voice, even accidentally sang the alto part for a song in practice Thursday night. I can say this, my life will never be the same, I'll never forget those people that have changed my life by speaking to my heart. 

A Much longer story short, is this. 

Today after the normal morning session and the breakout sessions, they had one just for the "worship leaders" now I didn't know it was just for them, and once I found out I was already into it and figured that since I was part of the choir... no one would mind, and they didn't. During this session a man named Kent Henry played and ministered. That alone changed my life and blessed me more than I can truly express. But after the worship and speaking he ministered with, he and several other leaders prayed for people. I didn't feel that I had anything that I Needed prayer for, but I really wanted to go up! So once most everyone else had been prayed for I went up and just let them flow in what they were doing. 

First I was called faithful, then they went over one thing after another that whether or not I felt I needed prayer for that, it still blessed me, after that, they ended by encouraging me to find a place that I could "Bow down and talk to God." Now I'm not one to bow down literally to much, but I understand the attitude of putting yourself in that open defenceless place. So I went and talked to God, first I asked, (Because I wasn't sure, though I know I will go into ministry, and likely a pastor, but I'm not sure...) 

Lord what do you want me to do?

And He replied, 

Nothing.

I didn't quite get it, God always has something for us to do right? So I said, really???

 really???

And He said, 

Yes.

I still didn't get it, so He said,

Well who are you?

Right about then I started to put pieces together and said,

I'm a son of God.

And He said,

So what do sons do?

Right there it really clicked for me! And I got it! I said,

They don't do anything!

A son, to be a son, doesn't have to do anything, they just are, they just enjoy the Fathers love and relationship. 

He also made sure to get it into my head that, 

I don't WANT anything from you!

I don't expect you to live a rough life so that you can take guitar lessons and learn to worship Me. 

I just want you, your heart, your love, your relationship with ME.

A son is not made a son by doing things, but by birth right. You are RE-born a son of God. 

So a son does not receive his status, his value, his place, or anything else by doing, but only by being a son. 

We have to understand that if we are to expect a paycheck each week, we have to work each week. But I am pleasing God by being His son, not by singing in the choir, not by juggling and using it to tell people about Him, not by working hard and making everyone happy at Chick-Fil-A, not by being a nice guy and helping people. 

You see, if you are born again, you have been born OUT of Adam's race of sin, and INTO God's family of life. 

You are now a child of God, you have been MADE righteous, not worked into righteousness, but created into righteousness. There is nothing you DO that makes you a child now, you simply are. 

My identity is no longer, "Ben Heath", "The Juggler", "A Charis Bible College Student", "A Chick-Fil-A Employee", "A Choir Member", or even a person of his own right. My Identity is my Father. I am a child of my Father. No more no less. 

I do all of those things, but what I do is not who I am, I do not do so that I can be, I am therefore I love to do. Who are you to tell me that I can't do something? I am a child of God! He has created me with every gift talent and ability I will ever need! He gave me a mind that can create! He gave me a voice that can hit notes I never thought possible!

I am a CHILD of the Living GOD, He in me I in Him. 

I have no other identity, it is who I am, my Father is greater than anything or anyone who would come against me!

So, here I am, no longer this, "Ben Heath", "Former Bible Quizzer", figure that people may or may not look up to, I am no longer any of that, I am simply, a son of God who does nothing to earn it, nothing to earn his keep, nothing to make himself anything. One that does not do to be, but simply is who God made him. 

A Child.