CELEBRATE

So if you didn't make it this past Sunday night to Fusion, we did a special "Under the Stars" Fusion complete with sunshine and good weather. It was a perfect night to be outside and enjoy our last Fusion for the summer! The goal of the night was to celebrate who God is and what He's done in us and through us over the last year. Courtney Helm, Luke Smallbone, and Josh Cassidy led worship and did a fabulous job.

We also had a station where students could take some chalk and write on the pavement as a way to thank God for who He is or celebrate what He's done in their lives. During the worship time, the phrase "I once was lost but now I'm found" kept playing over and over in my head. I am 30 years old and have been in the church my entire life. But it seems the older I get, the more amazed I am by the cross and the love that Jesus has for me. I know that's not an overly complicated thought, but that's the truth. I was completely screwed up and lost, but God entered the scene and rescued me! So I had to celebrate that.

I shared a lame story of how, when I was 8 or 9, my dad and I were watching a basketball game on TV and when the game-winning shot was hit we both stood up and went nuts. It was a moment of total celebration and victory. Well, until I tried to give him a high five but he either ignored me or didn't see me (probably the latter) and I felt like a complete loser.

We read from Luke 15 and the examples Jesus gave of people who lost something of value and the celebration that ensued when they found what they had lost. We related that to students who were lost a year ago and didn't have a relationship with Christ. But God has grabbed hold of their lives and set them free from their sin! They are now found! Luke 15 says that moment of salvation is so significant that all of heaven rejoices over ONE person who gives their heart to Christ! We often feel insignificant or unimportant, but many people we don't even know and can't see are celebrating throughout heaven for us when God does something incredible in our lives!

The bottom line is, we need to celebrate. Celebrate when God brings us to a place of salvation and forgiveness. Celebrate when He reveals His presence in our lives in a way we didn't expect or even think possible. Celebrate when we see our knowledge of Him deepen. Celebrate when He answers our prayers or comforts us in a time of heartache. Celebrate when He brings healing to us or those we love. Celebrate when He uses our life to impact the lives of others. Heaven celebrates these moments. We should too!

Often, our world and culture puts emphasis on the negative things in our lives. The things that beat us down or bring hurt and pain. But if we'll look closely, God is at work in all of us, providing moments of hope, grace, growth, and opportunities to celebrate!