Anywho, You know how it's really easy to see stuff when you're outside of a situation.... and incredibly harder when you're smack dab in the middle....And that's why it's such a great idea to ask people with a better perspective for advice? Yeah. That's what I've been thinking about.
I KNOW that God is faithful. And I know He's faithful to me. But, sometimes it's a lot easier for me to see His faithfulness in/to/towards the youth I work with. And in seeing His faithfulness to them, I comprehend his faithfulness to me a little more. I need to work on my articulation.
For example.... There's this cheesy slogan that basically says, God loves you just the way you are, but he loves you too much to let you stay that way. I believe that God is FAITHFUL regarding our sanctification (becoming more like Christ). Of course it goes a lot smoother when we're in obedience and right relationship.... But this is what I've been learning from my kids the last few weeks away.
We gain more and more head knowledge about who Jesus is and are eventually presented with a choice.... Was he crazy? Was he a liar? Or Is he THE CHRIST, your personal Savior and atonement for sin? So, (best case scenario), You choose Christ. You say the special prayer - he comes into your heart.... TAHDAH. A cookie cutter Christian.
Then you go home from camp or the beach or any other mountaintop experience with the Lord. And there you are in the middle of everything you used to be. Or you find that all your friends are changing, or maybe they changed while you were gone.... And you have to make some more choices. Will I go back to doing this? Will I start doing this? (these choices can of course can be good or bad)
And there's lots of fumbles, stumbles, and ditch digging along the way.
Then you find yourself back at that camp, or conference center, or retreat.... and you remember the choice you made to follow Christ. And you remember all the ways you didn't follow Him.... BUT you are closer than last time. Somewhere in the middle of falling short - you still grew. God still changed you and made you a little more like His Son.
How cool is that?
MONTHS AGO.... I saw Bethany Dillon perform for the first time. And I had known she was young.... but didn't realize that she was just about to turn 16 at the time. She was telling the story of her song "Exodus." And she was like, "I mean, I wasn't a slave in Egypt, but there are still things in my life that I'm a slave to, and God ransoms me and sets me free. I'm really young, but I've got my own Exoduses happening." And I was so moved by her spiritual maturity and the way she carried herself.... And she totally could be any young man or woman in my youth group. This is what she sang to us... and it's been ringing in my head for days now.
Reflect, reflect on all your days
You weren't so free then
Once you were all called slaves
But now, blessed children
Move, move your feet
Dance before the Lord
On to the Promised Land
On to your reward, sing
Lead, Lord, with unfailing love
Those that You have ransomed
And we will sing out as we go on
Our God is faithful
Our God is faithful
