This past summer, my cousin and I were extremely blessed to experience Taylor Swift's "1989 World Tour" from the front row. Granted, it did not start out like that. We had bought tickets in the nosebleeds. We were probably about four rows from the back of Soldier Field.
How did that happen? It involved a lot of screaming, luck and fun. But that's not the point. Even if you haven't experienced a concert front row, there is still a way to get the front row experience in your life.
With faith.
It may seem weird to compare front row at a Taylor Swift concert with faith; bear with me. When you're in the nosebleed sections, it's hard to see the kind of details you would get sitting front row; it's the same way with faith. Without Jesus in your life, everything is kind of blurred together.
You don't see the details, the inner workings of God's plans for you. A lot of the time, you're lost, wondering what purpose you have in life. Having faith in Jesus is like being given free tickets to a front row seat. You finally see all those details you were missing. You can see what your purpose is.
I'm not going to lie, I spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to get Taylor Swift's attention. We had brought a sign decked out in 250 lights. We had spent more than six hours making it, and I really wanted Taylor to see it, even if it was just for a moment. But with front row faith, I don't need to fight to get attention. Jesus gives every single one of us His full and undivided attention.
That's something you just don't get at a Taylor Swift concert (or any concert for that matter), whether you are front row or not. I don't need to spend hours on costumes or flashy signs to try to get a flickering moment of eye contact with my Savior. He has noticed me for my whole life and has never once forgotten me or ignored me.
Taylor Swift might not know my name, but Christ sure does, and that's the best knowledge in the entire world.
The only difference between front row at a concert and front row faith is this: You’ve always had your name on that front row seat of faith. Jesus has always been there, wanting you to come fill it. At a concert, only a select few have those seats. In faith, everyone has them (and you don't even need to spend five times the normal price on Stubhub, either).
Sometimes, it might feel like you lost your front row seat; the lights went out in the arena and you can't see the main act anymore. But I promise you, He is there. Jesus is always there, reaching out His hand to lead you back to Him; "For the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6).
Having a front row faith does not require a ridiculous amount of money or luck the way a front row concert ticket would. A front row faith only requires a commitment to Jesus as your Lord and Savior and believing He has died on the cross to pay for your sins and rose again. It’s the best front row seat and experience you will ever have, and you get to keep it forever, so long as you have faith.
