Mavericks

It’s the start of another year, and with it comes an anticipation of everything we are going to accomplish in the next year. This year I spent January 1 with worship music blaring and my journal in hand. I went to bed that night feeling more connected to God’s presence than I have felt in months.  

While I was journaling, I felt like Father said, “People are always telling me what they want to see in the next year, let me tell you what I want to see. I want to see the mavericks.”

 I knew exactly what He meant because I recently started listening to Maverick City Music. In their Instagram profile I found the definition of maverick. 

MAV-ER-ICK : Unorthodox, free spirit, rule breaker, one that breaks away from the herd. 

I remember when I first started on my Holy Spirit journey, I felt wonderfully free. There was a passion and hunger, not for religion but for Jesus.  I was unorthodoxly in love with my Savior. Scripture came alive and I became desperate to seek it out. 

I think Father was saying that this year it is time to get back to that place. THIS is the year for the laid down lovers of Jesus. THIS year we are going to see God’s name glorified as the chains of old ways of thinking fall away.  

Jesus and his followers were not tame rule followers. They radically sacrificed themselves for the message of the gospel. The radically sacrificed their dignity, their family, their jobs, and their very lives. They were mavericks. Church History tells us the same. Every great revival cost something. Each time individuals became a living sacrifice as they laid their dignity, finances and lifestyle on the line. They broke away from the herd. 

We pray for people to come to Jesus; we pray for another great revival. We beg to feel His presence like others have. Yet, many of us haven’t been ready for the cost. 

Yesterday, we were painting my mom’s house and we ran out of painter’s tape. I ran to the store to purchase more. I paid for it, then I could take it home. What if we paid the price of revival, in faith that what we take home will be revival. What if we laid down our dignity, finances, and lifestyle to pursue Jesus? What in our life would change? What in our world would change?  

It’s our time to do the same as those who went before us. It’s time to break cultural norms and run straight to the Spirit of Freedom.