Urgency at IKEA

I consider my husband to be highly intelligent and wise, so it surprises me when he comes up against something that completely baffles him… like how to exit IKEA. Granted, they designed their massive building in a way that forces you to experience all the sights, funneling you through their marketplace in an effort to entice you into buying their Scandinavian loveliness. There are some tricks in exiting quickly, but they aren’t obvious so I do understand my hubby’s frustration. There are also ample amounts of emergency exits that go unnoticed… until you need them. That was the case on Friday: the fire alarm alerted the hundreds of IKEA shoppers (which included me and all of my boys) to stop what they were doing, find the nearest exit, and leave swiftly, “in an orderly fashion.” (We still don’t know why it went off; Bret claims he would have perished if it truly was a fire because there’s no reasonable way out of that building!)

The calm urgency of the staff members was impressive and a connection came to my mind: do I possess the same sense of urgency in sharing the gospel to the lost of the world that are so busily moving through their lives towards– to many– an unknown exit? Do I eagerly testify of God’s amazing goodness in my life, or am I like the herd of people just trying to get out/up/down/whichever way I want to go?

Maybe the connection came to mind because I’ve been interested in learning about the revival that was (I say was because it’s been reported that it’s winding down) taking place at Asbury College in Kentucky. Speculations have been made about its sincerity and it will be some time before there is evidence of lasting fruit. But the passionate worship, the desperate cries out to God, and the apparent moving of the Holy Spirit has awakened an urgency in many believers to seek God. Some people have even flocked to the campus in search of a “Holy Spirit Hotspot” (give a listen to Alisa Childers’ podcast, Further Reflections on Asbury ), but the same Holy Spirit moving there is the same Holy Spirit that moves here… convicting us towards confession of sin, repentance and growth, and motivating us to share the gospel with others with calm urgency. We only need to ask for it then follow through when opportunities are provided. I pray that’s true of me. May it be true of each of us!

Ephesians 6:16-19 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel.