Getting back on track... (part 1)

I'll start this off by apologizing for not posting recently. It's been a strange series of weeks, including spring break, a broken computer, and an ultimate frisbee tournament.

So, with that out of the way, what has God been doing in my life? Answer: A whole lot! I'll start out with a few weeks ago during spring break. During that time, God really revealed to me the importance/uniqueness of college campuses. College is the only place where people from all over the world come together for a 'relatively' short amount of time (also during the 'formative years'), and go back out into the world. I felt like God was saying that the College of William and Mary will not be just a lamp shining into the darkness, but a torch shining from the top of a mountain- drawing people near, and sending lights into the world. Here is where I think I might've started to wander off-track a bit.



Over the past couple of weeks, I think a certain pride built up in me. I was asking God how I was going to lead the Christian community here on campus, and where I would teach. While this might not be inherently an incorrect way to think, I wasn't thinking about how I could serve the community. Yeah, but in order for me to realize that I was in the wrong, something needed to happen! So thank God that I went on a retreat with Intervarsity.

I am by no means saying that Intervarsity was my saving grace (because that'd be BLASPHEMOUS), but God really used that time to put me back on the right path. Anyways, some details on the retreat. The theme of the weekend was relationships- specifically with God, other Christians, and non-Christians (I know what you were thinking when I mentioned relationships (don't worry I'm praying for you (this is a joke for those unfamiliar/familiar with my sarcasm))).

InterVarsity friends!

The first part of the retreat that really stuck with me was when the second speaker brought up the relationship of David and Jonathan as an example for relationships with other Christians. The fact that Jonathan was willing to make sacrifices for David (give him what he needed, tarnish his relationship with his father to save David, etc.) made me ask myself if my life mirrored that. Answer: NOPE. I may have made a sacrifice or two recently, but I haven't been approaching people wondering how I could serve them.

Sidenote: Some of you may think that I'm being... I don't know, too harsh on myself, or being too raw, I don't know. To that I say, I've actually been praying for God to help me to be more teachable for a few weeks now. In case you didn't know, I have a tattoo on my arm that says humility in Hebrew (as far as I know that's what it says). One of the components of humility that keeps on coming up, is having a quiet, teachable spirit. So, to be able to look at myself, and see that I can improve is a huge answer to prayer.

Back to the retreat- Another thing that really stuck to me was a vision that God gave me during a time of solitude. It was from Revelation 5:13. This is the part where God is being glorified. "Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: 'To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!'" From here, I saw all these people silhouetted against the glory of God. But as I saw the faces of the people, I realized that it wasn't just Christians acknowledging the glory of God, but also non-Christians. I didn't get to really see God or even glimpse His glory, but it struck me that His glory is so immense that even non-Christians will acknowledge it in the end. Let it be noted that I'm not suggesting that everybody will go to heaven because of this acknowledgement, I think that this is the sort of point where the Parable of the Ten Virgins comes into play, and God will not acknowledge them. SECOND NOTE: Everything that I put here is (as far as I know) somewhat based in scripture, but if my theology is off, please let me know. I'm trying to grow here.

The vision really struck me, and broke my heart for a lot of my friends. In missions, there is a lot of talk about planting seeds, or being the first domino. I really hurt for my friends as I consider that God means for me to be the person to plant seeds, or push that first domino, and I've been so afraid all this time of losing them. What does me losing them matter, when they lose their souls? At the very least, I want to be known as the guy whose crazy about Jesus that they can call when they feel God knocking on the door.

This was crazy long, so I'll post again (maybe Sunday? Actually probably not) with the rest of what God's been revealing to me recently. 

Really quickly, prayer request. I've got a TON on my plate right now, and I can't see how all of it will get taken care of. Pray that God would guide me through the coming months, and that I would remain fully reliant on Him. Thanks so much!