Phew. Hi everybody. I just had a crazy mad awesome day of craziness yesterday touring Spring Arbor and just thought I'd pipe in on FMF today. Today's word is together
Five years ago, I never would have chosen to spend the night with people I didn't know. Ten years ago, it would have been questionable if I was willling to spend the night with people I did know. But it was weird. I did it. All week I was so worried about this college visit and not knowing where to sleep or go or whatever, and then I get there and all madness breaks loose. I spent the night and a huge part of yesterday afternoon and evening with total strangers and didn't even see the people I knew who were there. And I was OK. More than OK---I had fun with total strangers. It wasn't all perfect. I had a mini panic attack at one point because I didn't have my ticket stub and I realized I was hanging out with total strangers and was one in a thousand, and STILL hadn't seen a familiar face since my mom had left that morning, but after that I went back and found my ticket stub and went to the bathroom and was fine. But I digress. The point is that it's actually possible for complete strangers to have a connection, a bond, if they know Christ. All I knew about my hosts this weekend is that they had signed up to host and they went to a Christian college and I had seen them at chapel that morning. I wasn't alone for a second.
The speaker at chapel on Friday was talking about John, the people person who was exiled to an abandoned island where I'm sure I would have a pretty good chance of going insane, but was OK anyway. Because he knew his calling, his passion, where he really belonged,he was able to trust God and his purpose, even if circumstances weren't ideal. I feel that the moral of this weekend is that community is so much more than who we're with. Because of Christ, total strangers become relatives and brothers and sisters. Those who were once far away have been drawn near through the blood of the Lamb. Ever since high school started, I've been terrified of losing people I love, especially in youth group. Every year, a new batch of seniors have said their goodbyes and headed off to try their hand at college and all it entails and each year I've feared being left behind and forgotten by whoever was left. Well, one of the things I've learned in high school is that there is really no such thing as goodbye. With Facebook and college visits and people coming home on holidays and some weekends, these people just keep popping up, which is without question amazing.
But the other thing is that God isn't just going to leave me in a situation with no way out, no way to survive. He said so himself, that it's not good for man to be alone. Maybe the people in my life won't be around forever, but I can savor the time I have left with them, and rest in knowing that there's never a chance of being forgotten. There will always be people willing to help and encourage if I ask, because God actually cares enough to make community a guarantee. John was never alone on Patmos. Sure he probably didn't get a lot of visitors, but he did have Christ, who put him there in the first place, and his brothers and sisters who were probably praying him through every step of the way. AND he's probably changed more lives by being on that island than he would sitting pretty at home. God gave him a chance to experience him in a whole new way.
Once again, God throws me for a loop. I'm home and safe now, with people I've known for at least my high school career, but with a completely, indescribably wide open view of what it means to belong to Christ and the church. This weekend was weird and awkward and completely unpredictable, but now I have more names and faces in my brain that I'll get to see in heaven, if not sooner. And I still have the promise of new life and reminder of the resurrection that seems to play out across all apsects of my life; the good, the bad and the ugly.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Five years ago, I never would have chosen to spend the night with people I didn't know. Ten years ago, it would have been questionable if I was willling to spend the night with people I did know. But it was weird. I did it. All week I was so worried about this college visit and not knowing where to sleep or go or whatever, and then I get there and all madness breaks loose. I spent the night and a huge part of yesterday afternoon and evening with total strangers and didn't even see the people I knew who were there. And I was OK. More than OK---I had fun with total strangers. It wasn't all perfect. I had a mini panic attack at one point because I didn't have my ticket stub and I realized I was hanging out with total strangers and was one in a thousand, and STILL hadn't seen a familiar face since my mom had left that morning, but after that I went back and found my ticket stub and went to the bathroom and was fine. But I digress. The point is that it's actually possible for complete strangers to have a connection, a bond, if they know Christ. All I knew about my hosts this weekend is that they had signed up to host and they went to a Christian college and I had seen them at chapel that morning. I wasn't alone for a second.
The speaker at chapel on Friday was talking about John, the people person who was exiled to an abandoned island where I'm sure I would have a pretty good chance of going insane, but was OK anyway. Because he knew his calling, his passion, where he really belonged,he was able to trust God and his purpose, even if circumstances weren't ideal. I feel that the moral of this weekend is that community is so much more than who we're with. Because of Christ, total strangers become relatives and brothers and sisters. Those who were once far away have been drawn near through the blood of the Lamb. Ever since high school started, I've been terrified of losing people I love, especially in youth group. Every year, a new batch of seniors have said their goodbyes and headed off to try their hand at college and all it entails and each year I've feared being left behind and forgotten by whoever was left. Well, one of the things I've learned in high school is that there is really no such thing as goodbye. With Facebook and college visits and people coming home on holidays and some weekends, these people just keep popping up, which is without question amazing.
But the other thing is that God isn't just going to leave me in a situation with no way out, no way to survive. He said so himself, that it's not good for man to be alone. Maybe the people in my life won't be around forever, but I can savor the time I have left with them, and rest in knowing that there's never a chance of being forgotten. There will always be people willing to help and encourage if I ask, because God actually cares enough to make community a guarantee. John was never alone on Patmos. Sure he probably didn't get a lot of visitors, but he did have Christ, who put him there in the first place, and his brothers and sisters who were probably praying him through every step of the way. AND he's probably changed more lives by being on that island than he would sitting pretty at home. God gave him a chance to experience him in a whole new way.
Once again, God throws me for a loop. I'm home and safe now, with people I've known for at least my high school career, but with a completely, indescribably wide open view of what it means to belong to Christ and the church. This weekend was weird and awkward and completely unpredictable, but now I have more names and faces in my brain that I'll get to see in heaven, if not sooner. And I still have the promise of new life and reminder of the resurrection that seems to play out across all apsects of my life; the good, the bad and the ugly.
Soli Deo Gloria.
I'm so glad you had a good time. (: Do you think you'll go there?
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