I got saved in a charismatic Lutheran Church in January 1989. This month it is going to be 34 years I have been a Christian. I still remember the day I sat in the back row of that youth group with my black leather jacket on, my Marlboros in my inside pocket, lost as can be and as they sang the song Sold Out and Radical, I heard the voice of God say, “I love you and I will never lie to you.” Those words have been the foundation on which I have stood for 34 years and still keep standing to this day. I love the word of God because I know He will never lie to me (numbers 23:19). People lie to me, people lied to me, but God never has and never will lie to me, that is why I trust Him with everything in my life. Withholding nothing.

One of the hymns we used to sing in that Lutheran Church on Sunday morning was What A Friend We Have In Jesus. I would sing it from the bottom of my heart, hands raised, not caring what others thought. I still sing with passion but now I alter the volume so as to not hinder whoever is next to me’s worship, for I can get loud when I get passionate. This morning, I was praying Psalm 24 and the song What a Friend We Have in Jesus came into my spirit, here is one line from the third verse: “Are we weak and heavy-laden, Cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge— Take it to the Lord in prayer.” For you that know the song, it makes you want to sing along and oh the memories that return when we sing those songs we sang when we got saved.

Psalm 24 sparked these thoughts today, because the Lord reminded me that it is our responsibility to open our lives for Him to come in. He is not going to force Himself in, just like when I first gave my life to Him, it is still the same today. We have to “Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle.” He will even announce Himself, but we still must open the way for Him to enter.

34 years later, I am still saying yes to the King of glory. I still want to live with lifted heads, open gates and open doors for I want the Lord to lead my life, tell me what to do, show me where to go and have complete control of me. I don’t want to be in charge of my life, I want God in charge, just like I prayed when I got saved all those years ago, Here is my life, it belongs to you. Every anniversary of being saved, I make sure I am still saying the same thing in my heart, I give my life to you, do whatever you want to, I belong to you. This is how you stay Sold Out and Radical even after 34 years together.