before it's too late.

And the risk that might break you
Is the one that would save
A life you dont live is still lost
-Goo Goo Dolls

A song I have heard hundreds of times, sang as the top of lungs doing 80 down the highway, cried myself to sleep to in my bed... you get the picture. Tonight as I listen to this song, it hits me a different way.

I was reading The Irresistible Revolution a couple of months ago and came across a quote that really struck me-- "Most good things have been said far too many times and just need to be lived." Wow. Contingent upon hearing the lyrics above, this quote popped into my mind.

Until now I had always thought of the quote to be referring to "good things" as ways to treat others. As children of God, we are called to create His kingdom on earth. To rid the world of starvation, hate and poverty. Tonight I thought of this quote and realized that it means those things as well as others. We are often afraid to let go.. whether it is of the past, of a fear, of an unhealthy relationship.. whatever it is- we as humans have a tough time letting go. "And a risk that might break you could be the one that would save"... how powerful. We are to gain nothing unless we risk everything; until we let go. And that brings back the book Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus and about how we must leave the comfortable sidelines to seize divine moments.. because "a life you don't live is still lost."

It all comes together and fits into this tiny neat package.. at least for a moment. We are called to take risks, to love God, to love others, to love ourselves, to do His will, to bring His kingdom to this earth, to rid this planet of evil... to stop talking about doing great things and actually do them.

Now I am no expert risk taker who easily just throws things up in the air and says "God do what you will". But I need to be. I need to get out of this should phase where I sit and ponder what my life would be like if I really surrendered it all to Him. I have to just do it already.

That is who we are called to be.. "just be who you are, it's all that we need in our lives."