As summit began last week, the speaker, Miles Welch, talked about how everything will fall, but God never will.
Just think of how many times this truth is displayed on a daily basis. Every nation, no matter how great, falls. Every person, no matter how wise, falls. But God never falls. How awesome to be reminded of this amidst the chaos of our world.
The speaker had recently been on a mission trip in Liberia and had witnessed first-hand how civil war had torn that country apart. He showed us pictures of the thousands of bullet casings that littered the ground in the town that he had been visiting. A local man told him about the times when the rebels came through the town with the motto, " one less or no more". They would leave you will one less limb or kill you. During one of the attacks, the rebels opened fire inside a church and killed every one of the worshippers. After telling this story, the local man proceeded to take something from his pocket.
A tiny cross. Cut from one of the thousands of bullet casings that had littered the floor of that church. He said that it was his reminder that nations may fall in utter chaos, but God will never fall and he will not let go of those who love him.
He had not made just one cross, but thousands. Miles was so touched that he asked him for 3,000 of these tiny crosses to give to each of us at IWU. Somehow, God allowed him to bring them through the intense scrutiny of customs and security.
I, along with the thousands of other IWU students, now have a tiny cross cut from a bullet casing that the rebels in Liberia used as an instument of war.
What they used for destruction, God is using for good.
He never falls.
20 January 2009
19 January 2009
Vision of You
by Shane Barnard
Come meet us, King Jesus.Oh wind of change blow through this temple.Sweet spirit of God, come and mend our hearts.For all we have are songs. Unless you come.Awaken what's inside of me.Tune my heart to all You are in me.Even though you're here, God come.May the vision of You be the death of me.and even though You've given everything.Jesus come!Come free us, King Jesus.Its the only way that freedom is given.From you and you alone in the work You've already done.All we have are songs, unless You come.Awaken what's inside of me.Tune my heart to all You are in me.Even though you're here, God come.May the vision of You be the death of me.and even though You've given everything.Jesus come!Here we are, Lord, in this place.Crying out for Your embrace.To hear Your voice more than songs.Awaken what's inside of me.Tune my heart to all You are in me.Even though you're here, God come.May the vision of You be the death of me.and even though You've given everything.Jesus come!
by Shane Barnard
Come meet us, King Jesus.Oh wind of change blow through this temple.Sweet spirit of God, come and mend our hearts.For all we have are songs. Unless you come.Awaken what's inside of me.Tune my heart to all You are in me.Even though you're here, God come.May the vision of You be the death of me.and even though You've given everything.Jesus come!Come free us, King Jesus.Its the only way that freedom is given.From you and you alone in the work You've already done.All we have are songs, unless You come.Awaken what's inside of me.Tune my heart to all You are in me.Even though you're here, God come.May the vision of You be the death of me.and even though You've given everything.Jesus come!Here we are, Lord, in this place.Crying out for Your embrace.To hear Your voice more than songs.Awaken what's inside of me.Tune my heart to all You are in me.Even though you're here, God come.May the vision of You be the death of me.and even though You've given everything.Jesus come!
Today.
This is a funny day. I am awful at studying. The sky is blue and the sun is shining onto the glistening snow. The library is quiet, but distracting nonetheless. I am laughing at everything and nothing. Maybe it has something to do with the 16oz. Freshbrew and then the 16oz. Carmel Macchiato that I drank already today.
So much on my mind, but none of it holds even the slightest desire to study for my Gerontology test tomorrow. It is a shame. I used to be so good at studying and now all that occupies my thoughts are relationships and God’s calling on my life. I am to be a student for the time being, but time and again little snippets of the bigger picture creep in and leave me astounded that the God of all creation could want me. But he does. He loves me and he has shown that to me in so many ways.
I was thinking the other day about when I first realized His love. When I first really believed that He loved me and I stopped passing by it as nothing more than a pretty image that I had no part of. I first saw it through the tangible relationships that I formed my first semester of college. It was displayed between the nine of us on Carmin 2N. It was such an immediate and confusing bond. We are nothing alike aside from our common bond of following Christ, but God has shown his love through these girls in immense ways. Without them, I can scarcely imagine what my life would be like. I came from such despair and loneliness into a community of opposite personalities who share a similar heart for the world. What a blessing they have been these last two and a half years.
As I have struggled this year to determine God’s calling on my life concerning Zambia, they have prayed for me and encouraged me. It tears me apart to think about leaving them next year, but within that heartache I feel the most overwhelming peace. I am finally following God and leaving behind all that I know. It will be hard and it will be uncomfortable, but I know that with His power inside of me, it is possible. Nothing is impossible with Him.
At times, the enormity of God presence on this campus causes me to stop and catch my breath because it is so easy for me to go about my business and forget to notice His fingerprints. When I am reminded of Him in everyday moments, I rejoice. His kingdom is evident in the simplest things in life. We need each other; there is no doubt about that. I thank Him for making me a communal being. What would life be without friends?
So much on my mind, but none of it holds even the slightest desire to study for my Gerontology test tomorrow. It is a shame. I used to be so good at studying and now all that occupies my thoughts are relationships and God’s calling on my life. I am to be a student for the time being, but time and again little snippets of the bigger picture creep in and leave me astounded that the God of all creation could want me. But he does. He loves me and he has shown that to me in so many ways.
I was thinking the other day about when I first realized His love. When I first really believed that He loved me and I stopped passing by it as nothing more than a pretty image that I had no part of. I first saw it through the tangible relationships that I formed my first semester of college. It was displayed between the nine of us on Carmin 2N. It was such an immediate and confusing bond. We are nothing alike aside from our common bond of following Christ, but God has shown his love through these girls in immense ways. Without them, I can scarcely imagine what my life would be like. I came from such despair and loneliness into a community of opposite personalities who share a similar heart for the world. What a blessing they have been these last two and a half years.
As I have struggled this year to determine God’s calling on my life concerning Zambia, they have prayed for me and encouraged me. It tears me apart to think about leaving them next year, but within that heartache I feel the most overwhelming peace. I am finally following God and leaving behind all that I know. It will be hard and it will be uncomfortable, but I know that with His power inside of me, it is possible. Nothing is impossible with Him.
At times, the enormity of God presence on this campus causes me to stop and catch my breath because it is so easy for me to go about my business and forget to notice His fingerprints. When I am reminded of Him in everyday moments, I rejoice. His kingdom is evident in the simplest things in life. We need each other; there is no doubt about that. I thank Him for making me a communal being. What would life be without friends?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)