Sunday, March 27, 2011
Baby Steps
God is faithful and always provides. I reflect upon that truth at the end of this day. Today was a whirlwind of the good, the bad, and the ugly, but God was faithful and provided. After having a rough afternoon, God blessed with me an encouraging and energizing conversation with a good friend at school. After the Sunday night worship chapel service my school provides for the community, I was able to share with her my heart for finding a way to unite the believers in the Grand Rapids community. It was encouraging seeing her become just as exciting as I was about this idea. We began discussing ideas on what this unity could look like, and how it can start among students in the area. I was sharing how I want the word of this idea to spread around campuses, but I do not know students at these other universities to make that happen. The resolution we came to causd me to hesitate slightly, and for that very reason I am confident that we must continue forward. As we were talking about spreading this idea to other colleges in the area, students from Calvin, Kuyper, and GVSU were socializing amongst each other in the very gym I was standing in. I do not need to go to these campuses to spread the word, these students are coming to a community worship chapel at my campus every Sunday night. So, the resolution my dear friend Grace and I made is to meet someone from a different school every week, and begin telling them about this idea of unity among the campuses. This may seem very easy to some people, but for the introvert that I can be, this is challenging and stretching for me. I am scared but also excited to step out of my comfort zone and share my heart and passion with other students. I'll keep the blog up to date on who Grace and I meet and anything else that may happen in this crazy, exciting journey. It seems like it's only baby steps right now, but I will take baby steps over inaction any day. Everyday I see God moving in this area and on my campus, but most importantly God's name is being exalted. "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17
Monday, March 14, 2011
Giving God the Glory
I've been reading the book Radical by David Platt lately and so much that Platt introduces and challenges believers with coincides with my heart for Grand Rapids, West Michigan.
I was reading today about God's global purpose, and our role in that purpose. Plain and simple, God's purpose is to glorify himself. In absolutely everything he does, he gives himself glory. That's our purpose in life as well, though we are not very good at doing so.
Anyway, in one of his chapters he quotes a Christian American asking the question, Why am I so blessed when other have so little? The answer, though simple in nature, made so much unbelievable sense. We are greatly blessed, to bring him great glory.
It's so simple, yet so difficult to grasp and live out. Imagine if those who are greatly blessed (that means you!) turned around and gave all the glory back to God. Making it slightly more personal for college students or young adults, imagine if your able, healthy body, your intelligence, your good grades, your successful career, your relationships, your house, your car, everything that you've been blessed with, imagine if you immediately turned all the glory back to God and used those blessings to show to the rest of the earth God's glory.
If Christian Americans did that today, our nation would no longer be considered consumers, a selfish and greedy nation, but the most self-less nation in the world. Today, I would like to challenge you to take your blessings and give God the glory, then find some way to use those blessings to share God's glory and name with some one else. I'd love to hear your stories and/or opinion/thoughts on this. I'm no where near an expert on this, and do not speak from some pedestal of authority. I'm no better at this than the next person.
This week, I cling to the fact that God is still moving in GR and the world, though at times I do not see it with my eyes. Our God is always good.
I was reading today about God's global purpose, and our role in that purpose. Plain and simple, God's purpose is to glorify himself. In absolutely everything he does, he gives himself glory. That's our purpose in life as well, though we are not very good at doing so.
Anyway, in one of his chapters he quotes a Christian American asking the question, Why am I so blessed when other have so little? The answer, though simple in nature, made so much unbelievable sense. We are greatly blessed, to bring him great glory.
It's so simple, yet so difficult to grasp and live out. Imagine if those who are greatly blessed (that means you!) turned around and gave all the glory back to God. Making it slightly more personal for college students or young adults, imagine if your able, healthy body, your intelligence, your good grades, your successful career, your relationships, your house, your car, everything that you've been blessed with, imagine if you immediately turned all the glory back to God and used those blessings to show to the rest of the earth God's glory.
If Christian Americans did that today, our nation would no longer be considered consumers, a selfish and greedy nation, but the most self-less nation in the world. Today, I would like to challenge you to take your blessings and give God the glory, then find some way to use those blessings to share God's glory and name with some one else. I'd love to hear your stories and/or opinion/thoughts on this. I'm no where near an expert on this, and do not speak from some pedestal of authority. I'm no better at this than the next person.
This week, I cling to the fact that God is still moving in GR and the world, though at times I do not see it with my eyes. Our God is always good.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Sweet Fellowship
I experienced some sweet fellowship with other believers in the past few days. It was just a glimpse of what I think God intends for all Christ followers.
On Friday, I hung out with my cousin and his girlfriend listening to some bands play for a CD release and a fundraiser concert for a mission trip to Haiti. I didn't necessarily experience fellowship here, but I observed it. I saw Christians from, what I'm assuming are, different backgrounds worship and fellowship together. It was an encouragement to me not only to see the common bond present among then but also to see people pursuing Christ in a different city.
On Sunday, I went to the college group at my church. Besides a couple of people, we all attend different universities. It was wonderful to see people from different schools come together to study the scripture and worship. Now, most of us attend the same church, so we already have that bond together. But, I see how God can go beyond that.
This is where I want to see not only the college group at my church but also believers in Grand Rapids to grow. I want to see not only different schools come together but also different church backgrounds and denominations. I challenge you to imagine a community where no walls and boundaries are present between churches that bear different names. Imagine if no dissension was amongst Christians because our hearts were so enthralled and captivated with Christ that minuscule differences would not create the division that is currently present.
These things and so much are what I see, what I dream about, and what I hope and pray for the future. This is what keeps me awake at night and puts a fire in my bones.
God has been, is, and will always be moving and His Name will be glorified.
Philippians 2:1-3
"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value other above yourselves."
On Friday, I hung out with my cousin and his girlfriend listening to some bands play for a CD release and a fundraiser concert for a mission trip to Haiti. I didn't necessarily experience fellowship here, but I observed it. I saw Christians from, what I'm assuming are, different backgrounds worship and fellowship together. It was an encouragement to me not only to see the common bond present among then but also to see people pursuing Christ in a different city.
On Sunday, I went to the college group at my church. Besides a couple of people, we all attend different universities. It was wonderful to see people from different schools come together to study the scripture and worship. Now, most of us attend the same church, so we already have that bond together. But, I see how God can go beyond that.
This is where I want to see not only the college group at my church but also believers in Grand Rapids to grow. I want to see not only different schools come together but also different church backgrounds and denominations. I challenge you to imagine a community where no walls and boundaries are present between churches that bear different names. Imagine if no dissension was amongst Christians because our hearts were so enthralled and captivated with Christ that minuscule differences would not create the division that is currently present.
These things and so much are what I see, what I dream about, and what I hope and pray for the future. This is what keeps me awake at night and puts a fire in my bones.
God has been, is, and will always be moving and His Name will be glorified.
Philippians 2:1-3
"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value other above yourselves."
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