Raise Your Hands

Photo by Edwin Andrade on Unsplash

All in 

by blanca

Whatever You need

I'll be, choose me

Cause I'm all in

(Before reading this post I would encourage you to listen to this song. The link to the songs are always at the top of the page under the song title and artist, and at the bottom of the post.)

The kids who raise their hands and waved them in the air in hopes of being picked at events used to intimidate me. Being a homeschooler, I was not around kids raising their hands every day, and being the shy girl I was, I did not like those kids. Some kids want to be picked so bad, and others are just there to watch other kids get picked. Well, in our service to God we are not allowed to watch others get picked by not raising our hands. God has chosen all of us, but how many of us our the “kids” who wave our hands wanting to get picked? Most of us are more like me in that situation, just watching. Half amazed at the bravery the hand waver shows, and half intimidated by the thought of being picked ourselves. Why don’t we raise our hands for God to choose us more often? Four letters: F-E-A-R 

We will mess up, we most definitely will fail at times, but God knows that and He still wants us to be all in. There is a part in this song that talks about how we are not perfect, God knows that, and when we fail or feel we are at our lowest God is strongest. 

“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9a

This verse truly describes how great God’s power is. He takes our weakness and uses it for his glory. Don’t use weakness as an excuse. God’s grace is sufficient, and He still wants you to raise your hand when He calls you. 

So we know God accepts our weaknesses, then what? We start chasing after Him and looking for places He is asking us to allow Him to work in us, or places He is calling us to go. When we start looking for those places, our fear goes and we get excited about what God can do. We start to believe that God is carrying us through His plan. Even when we feel afraid, we learn how to raise our hands, banish our fear, and trust God.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to Him,

and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 

This verse not only shows we are to submit to God, but that we are guided when we say we are all in, submitting to him, because He makes our paths straight. He does not give us tasks that are too hard to complete. He gives us tasks that are part of His plan for the world. God does not choose random things for you to do, but the tasks are often not what you are expecting. 

Which bring us to the “whatever” word in the song. This word carries the bridge of the song and is one of the most important words in it. When we sing the song and we say whatever, we are fully submitting to God. We are all in. We also declare this before knowing what God is going to do with that declaration. We declare it and prepare for whatever God has planned. No matter how big or small, you are all in.

Yes, I am all in, God chooses me. Whenever I hear these words in the song it makes me want to raise my hands. 

After saying you are all in and declaring that you want to work in God’s plan, what is next? You start looking for places that God is pushing you to be all in for Him. Saying yes to God is a never ending calling in your life. Maybe God is not calling you to do something big like move to Ethiopia or start a church. God gives big things, but He also gives little, tiny, everyday things to be all in on as well. You watch your words, so you don’t snap at someone when you are in a bad mood. You smile and tell someone God loves them. You complete simple tasks with diligence. God does not just choose you for big things, He chooses you for all things. 

Being all in not only allows us to help others grow, but ultimately grows us and works on our sinful hearts. God cares about you even as you are caring about others, and He uses everything you do to draw closer to Him. The best example I can think of this is my writing. I am writing to ultimately serve God. So when He asked me to start a blog, I was fearful and did not want to do it. I have now started a blog, and God is allowing me to declare His good works. Even as I am all in on serving Him through this blog, I am also growing through the new challenge. This is the third article up on my blog which means wrote three articles with a crunching deadline. God is growing me even in something that I enjoy, yet still stretching me with something that seems uncomfortable or scary. 

Now, we are like the kids who wave their hands wanting to be chosen. We are no longer intimidated by them. We get to be a part of God’s plan now. We should trust God in a way that others can see, knowing that He has got us. When the fears come and you want to hold back on submitting yourself to His work, pray and declare that you are all in. Remember this means whatever God needs you for. We give ourselves up as offerings to His good work. When we open our lives for God to use us, to reach others, and fulfill His purpose for our lives, we not only reach others but we grow closer to Him. I challenge you to listen to this song again. Sing it. Declare it. Open your life up to the things God has for you.