Operation Exodus Spotlight

I thought I'd share my "spotlight" for the kids I mentor in Washington Heights at Operation Exodus.
Every week, one of the mentors shares a brief lesson, sermon-ette in the large group assembly.



I have a very strange job. Many of your mentors and tutors work in amazing and exciting fields: Lana works for the city of New York, Jin is a scientist learning about cancer, Alyssa studies remote Asian cultures, and many others work in finance and law. Well, I moved to NYC a little over a year ago to pursue my passion for musical theatre. I would love to be in a Broadway musical someday! In order to move up that ladder of achieving my goal, I go to countless auditions all around the city, hoping to get parts in different plays and musicals. I once went to 5 auditions in one day! And the craziest part is that sometimes I’ll wait for 6 hours, just to get the chance to sing 15 seconds of a song before I’m abruptly cut off by a disinterested, “thank you!”

To be honest, it’s easy to be discouraged about this audition process but God has been gracious to show me all the ways he is unlike the cut-throat, competitive world that I seem to live and work in.
Unlike some of the people I audition for, God always approves of me and in fact, wants to hear my entire song. He wants to hear from us constantly in prayer and worship. God made me, and each of you, exactly as we are, for a reason. Psalm 139 says:
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Sometimes when I go to auditions they have a process called, “typing out” where they line you up like a big herd of cattle and choose the “right types” they are looking for, just based on appearance. In God’s eyes, we are always the right type, because he created us uniquely individual.

And as much as it hurts to feel rejection, to not get chosen for the play I really want to perform in, I understand that it will probably take 25 auditions to land one job. I sometimes get rejected for being too tall, too light, too dark, my voice is too high, too big, my hair is too curly, all these things I can’t control. The amazing thing about God is that he never rejects us, and always chooses us. Isaiah 41:9 says "I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, "You are my servant;" I have chosen you and not rejected you."


And unlike the judges that I sing in front of, the God that we get to know and learn about today at Exodus is a perfect and righteous judge.
And why is this judge unlike any other? Because he took his most treasured possession, his Son, Jesus Christ, and sent him to our world, to live and teach and play the biggest part in the truest play and story the world will ever know. Jesus took on the hardest role ever imagined, the hero, dying on the cross for all of our sins. Though he had no fault, no crime, no reason to die, he willingly played the part so that you and I who are not perfect, who mess up constantly, and who without him could not stand in God’s presence might have an eternal role in God's family. Because of Jesus' sacrifice we are never condemned, we are loved and wholly accepted by the God who sees us as perfectly spotless as Jesus.
And what does this do for me?
I know as his precious child, that even though many of these worldly judges and casting directors may not accept me, hire me or want me to play parts in their play, that God ALWAYS has a part for me in His. One of my favorite verses says, "The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you in singing. " Zeph 3:17

And because of that love, that delight that I know God has in me, because of Jesus, I continue on. I continue to pursue my dreams, to live my passion “[singing} with all the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever." 1 Peter 4:11

I sing my auditions with all that strength and I’m always thankful for the everlasting and righteous judge I have in God!