She sat there, at that long, polished wooden table made for eight, gazing out over the edge of the mountain they were on top of, down below at the city that was just out of reach. She listened to the voices of her friends-- they spoke of change, of renewal. Their hearts' desires were being poured out for her to see into the depths of. She sat there, silent, as the Lord showed her that there is oh so much that she doesn't know yet. And there is so much that she won't ever learn while she's here.
And less than 12 hours later, God gave this girl who had become unsure of where she was headed, a vision, a purpose. A girl who somehow lost herself in her pride, in her inability to say "no", in her constant striving to please those around her, now saw the bright light being shed on her feet. She opened her eyes to the next step: making life less about her, and more about those she comes into contact with-- everyone around her.
And that girl, is me.
With one semester of college under my belt, I began to feel more sophisticated than I used to. I'd started to find my identity in the new community Christ gave me, and to take pride in having friends who liked to be around me. But before the second half of my freshman year began, I was whisked away to the mountains, away from the ever so distracting world below, to be reminded of what Christ has actually called us to do, and to not just understand His calling, but to actually be a doer of the Word.
And what has Christ called us to do?
Well, 1 Thessalonians 2:8 says: so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the Gospel of God, but our lives as well.
In context, Paul, Silas, and Timothy cared for the people of Thessalonica "like a nursing mother cares for her children."They were called to share. To share the Gospel, and most importantly, their lives. And today, that is still relevant. As Christians, we are to be like Paul, Silas, and Timothy, sharing our lives, all we have, with those around us. Why? Because we care for them. And why should we care for them? They belong to the King of Heaven, just as we do. They're our brothers, our sisters, even if we don't or they don't realize it.
So while first semester was truly all about me, in the beginning of this second semester, the Lord has created a desire in my heart for my life to be less for me, more for others, a desire to sacrifice. And of course, while the desire is there, my flesh will still ultimately fail. This desire to love others isn't mine. Nothing I ever do that anyone would consider "good" is mine-- but it's Jesus', and He will use me as He wishes.
As this sweet time of college continues, the Lord continues to teach me, to show me new things, to open up my eyes, my ears, my heart. He's teaching me dependence, to break down my pride, to relinquish everything I have to Him, but those are stories for another day. He's always teaching, and I'm always learning. And oh, am I so glad to be along for this wild adventure He's leading me on.
