Day 2

Well, yesterday was pretty relaxing, and it was very nice just being able to go through my day at a slow pace, not super busy like I usually am. I could just slow down, think, and be fully aware and in awe God's creation. My mind was relatively clear and I got to actually enjoy my day.

I went over to the Wesley and went down to the CHOP room yesterday afternoon and spent about 2 and 1/2 hours just sitting, praying, singing, and listening. It was very refreshing just being able to sit in the presence of God and be reminded of how great He is and of his faithfulness.

Last night as I was walking back up to my dorm, I was just praying for some sort of direction from God. I knew He would speak to me if I asked Him to and I was trying to grasp what He wanted me to hear from Him and for some reason Matt Chandler popped into my head. I love Matt Chandler's sermons so I thought, "Okay, God, you want me to go listen to a podcast or what? What's the deal?" Then, as crazy as this sounds, I felt like I was being told to go to my dorm, look up his podcasts online, and listen to the third one. I was pumped because I knew God was going to use one of my favorite speaker's to tell me what I needed to hear!

It's funny how God let's us get excited because we think we know what He's up to, but then it's not that way at all. I was excited to hear Matt Chandler and what happens? I look down at the third podcast and it was a guest speaker for that week at The Village Church (where Matt Chandler preaches). Of course. But I still knew that I should listen to it.

The guy's name was Eric Mason. He is the preacher at a church in Philadelphia called Epiphany Fellowship. Wow. God knew what He was doing when he put the thought of "third podcast" in my head! No, it wasn't Matt Chandler, but it was what I needed to hear at that time!

He talked about "The Great Invitation" and yes, that's the invitation we have from God as disciples. One point that he made that I absolutely loved was this:

"Disciples of Jesus Christ have a journey with Him that is constantly unfolding..."

How awesome is that? We are in a relationship, on a journey, with Jesus Christ and it never gets dull, it never gets boring, it never gets too routine, because He is constantly revealing and unfolding new things to us!

He talked about how 2 disciples of John the Baptist saw Jesus and left John to follow Jesus. Back in these days that was huge. This was showing that they were completely disconnecting themselves from their former teacher and life to be connected and committed to Jesus.

Jesus asked them what they wanted and they replied by asking Jesus where he was staying. Jesus told them "come and see" AND THEY DID!

They had no idea where he was going, yet they followed him anyway! They became his apprentices... which is what we are to do as well. I want that kind of commitment and faith to just up and leave whatever is going on in my life and become completely connected with Jesus.

We are to be the apprentice of Jesus. To do as Jesus did. To look like Jesus. To LIVE like Jesus. No ifs, ands, or buts.

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart" -Psalm 37:4

This does not mean, delight yourself in the Lord then you will get whatever you want. It's not a trade-off of any sort. What He means by this is that when we delight ourselves in Him, our desires will change to match HIS desires. What we think about will be things of God. What we are concerned with will be things that concern Him.

Christianity is about being transformed, not about transforming God...HE DOESN'T CHANGE. We don't write the syllabus to our own lives. God does. That's why HE will transform us. Not vice versa. We submit to Him. He doesn't change for us. He is constant.

What is really awesome to think about is that He wants to give each of us the desires of our hearts... the desires that match His desires. He will engage with anyone and everyone who wants to engage with Him. He calls all kinds of people into relationships with Him.

He wants to transform us all - rich, poor, arrogant, humble, religious people, radicals, thieves...it doesn't matter because He is willing to engage with us all!

When Jesus first met Peter, he gave him a nickname right away. He called Him Cephas, which means "rock". This may have seemed like a huge compliment, but Jesus did not give him this name because Peter was worthy of it. He gave him this name because it foreshadowed the man that He was going to transform Peter to become.

He meets us where we are so that He can take us beyond where we are! He doesn't come to save us because of what we have to offer. He comes to save us, gives us something to offer, and then uses us!

I was just blown away by how God revealed Himself to me through all of this. Before I start asking God for things, I need to make sure they are my desires BECAUSE they are His desires as well. I want my focus to be about how He can transform me, then use to me.

Thanks to Eric Mason, since a lot of this wisdom was shown to me through that podcast!

I listened to the first half of this podcast last night, and the second half today at CHOP. And after I finished it, I just read some scripture, prayed, and God totally reiterated everything that was said.

It's crazy how much easier it is for me to recognize what God has to say when I just slow down... when I am quiet and still.

"Be still and know that I am God." -Psalm 46:10

And that is day 2 thus far...