For the Sake of the Call

Every time I hear the song, “For the Sake of the Call” by Steven Curtis Chapman, my memory goes back to the first time I attended a CFC YFC* Conference. It was a conference for all YFCs based in campuses held in a former leprosarium community. The theme was “Extreme” based on the verse from Philippians 1:21, “To live is Christ, to die is gain.”

My memory is still very vivid, probably because first time is always memorable. It was my first time to lead worship. I could never forget how I stop and smile while exhorting because I forgot what to say. It was my first time also to meet other community members from other places and universities in a bigger scale. I was amazed that there are so many crazy young people like me who can raise there hands and close there eyes while singing and dancing for the Lord. They are very excited in sharing how Christ affected and changed their lives. They cry and laugh and as I observed they have this oozing passion for Christ. It contaminated me!

It was indeed not just memorable for me, but life changing in terms of my perspective in life. We had a series of activities that are in line with the theme. We go all the way by building houses for the poor in the area, sleep over for two nights and listen to talks and sharings all in one weekend.  I was opened to the idea that I can have real fun while at the same time making a difference by serving God through others. Life has to be lived out in Christ, with Christ and for Christ! Others probably thought already how crazy these young people were, for all of us were in our university years then.

Living life to the full is living to the extreme and challenging the limits of what society defines as good.  It is not enough to pray and disregard the needs of our brothers and sisters. A true Christian is not just a praying person but a loving person, loving that compels him to act and affect change for others. The world needs true Christians!

I remember when we were having the closing praisefest for the conference, we were singing, “We will abandon it all for the sake of the call, no other reason at all…” I never thought that in that conference, it was also meant to be literal in my life. When I went back to our sleeping quarter, my bag was no longer there. An outsider stole it. All my school materials were in my bag. I went back to my place with just the ID of the conference with me. It was very true to the theme, “Extreme” and very true to the last song we sung, “…abandon it all…” I took it as a message from the Lord. It was His way of telling me, no matter how I will worship, if I will not do something to the society, there will always be people who will steal other things because they have nothing to eat.

It was a conference that opened wide my eyes to the mission and fueled my passion to serve. Going fulltime then was something extreme for me that even just a thought of it scares me. But from then on, the fire started burning and now, it is burning still.

Thank you Lord for the gift of mission and the privilege of serving You. Amen.

*CFC YFC – CFC Youth For Christ is a youth ministry of Couples For Christ.

by aats