I never new how easy I had it. My parents have cared for me the past 18 years of my life and I never new how much work they’ve done for me with all the different doctors appointments, sports event, school events and every other activity imaginable. I am so lucky to have had their help over these years. Now that I’ve hit college, I have a lot more to worry about personally. And having all this free time on my hands isn’t helping me. Today my Psychology professor, Dr. Maloney, gave us a project to analyze our behavior and select a behavior we want to change. I have decided to embark on the changing of my time management as it relates to homework. I realize that I need to become more responsible with my time and have homework fill a majority of that time. So for the next week (starting next week), I expect to send over 1 hr 30 min per night doing homework, and that means straight homework time. None of this dilly dally stuff. Updates will be following.
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I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly
John 10:10b (KJV)
It’s so easy think that God does not provide. When we think about suffering, pain, persecution… But recently God has shown compassion through my own family. My roommate at college is from Ethiopia and did not have a computer for the first month of school. My parents and I conversed about this a few times, but nothing was finalized about getting my roommate a computer. My parents came down for Parents Weekend and brought with them our 8-year old desktop computer. At that point, I really just saw this act as an act of kindness on my family’s part, but God was providing through the gift and provided much more than anticipated. The following week, my roommate’s sponsor from Project Mercy arrived on campus, and brought with him a brand new laptop for my roommate, who was ecstatic at the sight. God was providing for my roommate in ways my family could not understand.
Then a question arose: As Christians, do we at times get in the way of God’s provision? We certainly are not a hindrance to God and His provision. I’d like to think that in this specific situation, my family provided a lackluster computer so that, in turn, God could show that He is the Great Provider by gifting a laptop. A coined phrase in Christianity is: We are the vessels. But maybe were just the vessels of mediocrity, while God is the vessel of His great power and provision.
One thing that God has really thrust into my life for no apprant reason (which is yet to be revealed) has been the scriptural passage Philippians 2:1-11.
1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
At first, I only learned this verse because it was a requirement for Jam Camp, a summer camp for the Jr. High program at Grace Church. I could recite it perfectly, which was the ultimate goal. Jam Camp came and went in an instant, but I still remember those verses. I arrive at Taylor University and all I hear about is Philippians 2. Either bits and pieces of the passage or the whole passage in it’s entirety. I believe that God has been trying to resonate this passage into my life. I have not discovered the reason for the habitual bombardment of this scripture, but I will be updating this story very soon. Please pray that God would reveal what he wants me to take away from this passage.
10 Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”11 The LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”
- Exodus 4:10-12
Today I encountered a humbling experience. I was sitting in class preparing to give my testimony in front of my peers. I sat there with a paper in front of me entitled “Testimony”, feeling lackluster about the whole assignment. I realize about halfway through the previous person’s testimony that i was going “off-the-cuff” so to speak. I start to speak but my voice is shaky. In general, I characterize myself as a man with confidence and sometimes as a leader. I struggled through my testimony, forgetting key points along the way. I finish up feeling horrible about the presentation I proverbially “slapped down on the table” for my classmates and professor to interpret. I feel ashamed, embarrassed and defeated. I leave that class without a shred of confidence. I start walking back to the dorm and start to question every leadership opportunity I have had in my life. Has it really been leadership, or just some false persona that edifies my intentions. When I thought about the term leadership and why I don’t have it, it brought me back to the Old Testament story of Moses. This story encouraged me because Moses struggled with the exact same issue. God says, “Moses, you are truly a leader even though you struggle with your speech, but I will give you the words to say. Let me be in your voice, let me speak through you.” This passage made me realize that I must live in faith that Christ will speak through me and trust that He will communicate His message even when I am “slow to speech and tongue.”
