It’s a good feeling :)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. - Hebrew 13:8
This Hillsong song has been stuck in my head for the whole day. My favorite verse: “We will follow, and offer this life forever, to see your love unfold.” I think I have always enjoyed the fact that Jesus has extended an invitation to us to join Him on this journey to make his love known to the world, but the more and more I think about it, the more awesome this proposition begins to sound.
A few things I worry about…
- I am becoming too comfortable with the current state of my faith
- I feel helplessly constrained by the excuses I make for myself
- I am afraid that I do not have the determination to approach change
- I do not put enough emphasis on prayer
Long story short, today during service, as I often do, felt convicted of the effort I am putting into pursuing God’s plan for me; and after service, as I often do, placed the conviction in the back of my mind. My flesh - so willing to fall back into my ordinary routine - seem to prevail over the pressing voice of the Holy Spirit calling me to do more, to do better. It’s so easy to just settle for comfort, to make excuses about being too busy, too shy, too tired… honestly, I haven’t been taking risks for God, I haven’t been struggling for God, I haven’t been following His commandments. Stripped away of all the actions I follow and worship I do off of a checklist, where does my faith stand? It is something I do not want to acknowledge. Yet, every day, God has been pushing me to face reality. Being amongst non-Christians in class, having friends from high school who do not know Jesus, living in a world where slavery, poverty, and injustice break the spirits of billions each day - indeed, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. I know I can longer turn to ignorance, no longer tell lies to myself, no longer sidestep confession and repentance and change. Jesus brings me back to square one every time, and I am so very grateful.
13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings!
Your incense is detestable to me.
New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations —
I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.
14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals
I hate with all my being.
They have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I hide my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
I am not listening.
Your hands are full of blood!
16 Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight;
stop doing wrong.
17 Learn to do right; seek justice.
Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
plead the case of the widow.
- Isaiah 1:13-17
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
- Matthew 5: 43-48
- Words can not describe exactly how meaningful this experience has been for me.
- God moved so much, in others as well as in me.
- Gospel in HD was just an amazing track.
- URBANA WORSHIP TEAM. I admit that I was slightly uncomfortable at first when they sang songs with all kinds of languages and cultural flairs, but somehow every song ended up resonating in my heart. God really pushed me out of my comfort zone and showed me that no matter what the words, rhythms, and tunes sound like, the most important thing is that God is praised.
- Late night/Free time pillow talks. So deep… most of the time :P. So thankful that I am blessed with such a dependable, faithful, and lovely community of sisters <3
- I will go, I will go
I will go, Lord send me
To the world, To the lost
To the poor and hungry
Take everything I am
I’m clay within your hands
I will go, I will go, send me - “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.” - John Piper
- Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. - Luke 5: 10-11
- Jesus, I pray that my passion for you will burn more fervently with each passing day. Let me pursue you with all my heart, soul, and strength. Rid me of my pride and my ignorance. Give me a loving heart and harvest eyes. I entrust my life in your hands.
