A Rebelution

THIS WEEK was the last week of summer, and today is the last day. But that's okay, because this year God is going to do amazing things at my school. I'm going to share with you what I'm learning from God about how to prepare my heart for this exciting school year.

On Wednesday before Engage the Spirit, a special worship event which happens monthly at Southpoint, I prayed with Pastor Ryan and a fellow Stanton student named Dorien.
Besides our request for God to bless the time of worship (which He did) we also prayed that He would lead a revolution in schools this year. It's a particular concern of mine because (believe it or not) I'm about to be a senior! It's now or never. Pastor Ryan said he's excited about this school year at Stanton, and so am I. I think something great is about to happen that's never happened there before.

On Thursday I went with Will to a party for the FISH club, Stanton's Christian Club, where we talked about how things are going to go this year. I have a concern about FISH clob: I love going, but in years past I never saw it doing much. In fact, even as a member I never knew exactly what "FISH" stands for. It turns out that it stands for our four activities, things which it looks like we'll be doing more actively this year. FISH means "Focus, Inspire, Share, and Hook," where 'focus' is a week where we meet in small prayer groups, 'inspire' is a week with a guest speaker, 'share' is a week with a student speaker, and 'hook' is an extra-fun week for inviting non-Christians to hear the Gospel preached.

It sounds really wonderful. It's just too bad that I haven't seen it happen in the past. At least, not with power and passion, diligence and movement. This year I'm praying, and I ask you to pray also, for a Spirit-lead "rebelution," as Pastor Ryan calls it, during which we will actually see lives change and the word spread like fire.

I can't help but wonder, though, why this hasn't been happening much in the past. We've had good leaders, food, prayer groups, student and guest speakers, and lots of great stuff. But why haven't we had a movement? I think part of the problem is the same problem which I have learned that I have been facing. And there's no way it's going to be any different without a solution. The problem is that, although we love Jesus, sometimes other things get in the way. We get worried, or tired, or distracted, and the result is that we take our eyes off the prize.

The theme of my learning this week is summarized in Colossians 3:1-2 "[1] If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. [2] Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." To "set your mind on things above" means to desire the eternal, to desire God and focus your efforts on serving Him rather than anyone else. It's like Matthew 6:21, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." When I read this, I knew I was in for an important lesson. I love Jesus dearly, but if I'm honest with myself I must admit that I sometimes get distracted from Him. It's not that it's wrong to think about the life I'm living, it's just that I often find myself clinging to something I cannot keep. I must look at life through the lens of God's will. It's not that it's wrong to enjoy blessings, it's just that it's wrong for my main desire to be for something which only lasts for a day rather than for what lasts forever.

Desiring God does not consist of being near other Christians and going to church and doing the things that Christians do. I heard Pastor Eric say today that God did not call us to a religion, but to a relationship. Desiring God is actively seeking to know Him more and to serve Him better.

It's difficult as a high-school age person, especially at Stanton, to keep my priorities straight. We have homework, family responsibilities, relationships, extracurricular activites, and many even have jobs. On top of this we have to choose colleges, apply for schools and scholarships, think about our futures, and many of us must fill out forms for service hours. I've been wondering where I'll find time for my morning Bible Study that I've started doing this summer.

Sometimes I get so afraid that some thing or another will become so important to me that I won't give God the attention He deserves. I'm afraid I won't be able to see past my will to see His. So I pray and pray He'll teach me to desire Him first. I know this lesson so well that I'm unhappily surprised I have to learn it again to get it into my head: if we trust God and make Him our greatest desire then He will make everything in our lives work out beautifully. It's wonderful to think that our lives, left to God's guidance, can be designed as perfectly as a tree, or an ocean, or a solar system, so that everything turns out exactly like the Creator, in His wisdom, knows it should be. If we tried to figure it out on our own, which we don't have to do, our lives might turn out more like a kindergartener's drawing of the more beautiful thing God made - not the same thing at all.

I can certainly trust God to work everything out. That's why I'm not more worried about all these forms I have to fill out in the next few months, and why I am not more panicky about deciding on a major and a career. My trouble is that while I'm trusting Him, I'm not sure my mind is "set" on Him. Maybe that's the problem the FISH club has been having. Maybe we have so much going on that we aren't focused enough to stay organized and alive. Well, it's going to be different this year. Something great is about to happen. But I've learned this week that right now I need to 'set my mind' on what God is doing so I don't miss out on it. We need to desire God first. Then we can be part of something meaningful and amazing that He is doing.

Remember in Matthew 13, the parable of the seed sown in different places? Jesus used "thorns" to represent worldly desires. The world can be a pretty 'thorny' place. But if we don't get tangled in thorns then our lives can be fruitful and productive for God's glory. It goes without saying that that's what every Christian wants to do!

Colossians 3 does more than tell us what to do. It tells us how to do it. Verses 1 and 2 tell us to focus on the eternal.
What to stop doing: verse 5, "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." Those things aren't just bad, they're idolatry. That means that they are the kinds of things which stop us from setting our sights on God's will and make us look at our own. God hates idolatry, so we must avoid it like the plague. Instead we should conform our will to His. I've gathered that our own determination and resolve is not enough to do this. We must pray with expectation for the Holy Spirit to make it possible, and He will.

What to do instead: verse 12, "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindess, humility, meekness, longsuffering;" These are characteristics of Christ. If we imitate Him it will be hard not to conform to His will. If our hearts resemble His it will be hard for the world not to see Him in us. That's what I'm hoping for in the FISH club this year, as well as in the whole body of Christ globally. Verse 16 is also full of guidance on how to live, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

There are going to be amazing things happening both at my school and all over the world. Every day we are closer to the day Jesus will return. To prepare to be part of a difference He makes at my school this year, I and all the other Christians are going to have to really set our minds on Him, seek Him, desire Him, listen to Him, and obey Him. I'm glad He brought this theme to my attention this week because now I can start the busiest year of my education having determined and prayed to put God first.