Why stop the blog when you get home?
So I returned safely from India a month ago tomorrow, and was warmly received by my family. I celebrated a belated Christmas with them, the fragrance of India and the buzz of excitement still tangible to my senses. However, I was praying for something to take hold of, something about my trip to India that would deepen my faith and understanding of God.
I got back to Syracuse and immediately turned around and went with a friend to Pennsylvania, to a Christian Conference called One in Love (www.winteroil.org). The conference was AMAZING, so check out the messages if you get a chance, and on the last day the Lord answered my prayer.
The focus had been on missions throughout the whole conference, and one of the last talks was on the Great Commission. But it was on the Great Commission in a way I had not understood before.
Matthew 28:18-20 (New International Version)
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Let's focus on the beginning and the end.
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age
Who is with me always? The one with ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH
Okay, so how does this relate to India? Remember when I talked about going to the Taj Mahal, how I was given a private tour by the person in charge of the restoration of the Taj Mahal?!?!? I was not given that opportunity because of who I was, but because of who was WITH ME, namely, Sandeep, the Secretary to the Minister of Labour and former Secretary to the Minister of Culture and Tourism.
Likewise, we are not given opportunities to make disciples of all nations, to glorify God, to do His work, to do AMAZING things because of who WE ARE, but because of Who is WITH US.
I must confess I was having a party in my seat when I made the connection, thanking God for such a real life example of His presence in my life. He answered my prayer and blew my mind, as he has continued to do throughout these past few weeks in the beginning of this semester. God is speaking! My prayer is that you are hearing Him in your life.
ttfn
