So I haven’t blogged in quite a while. I was recently reminded me it’s been well over
a month. I know I wanted to blog to keep
in touch but I also haven’t wanted it to be a pressure situation. However, since I’m not in school anymore and
don’t have homework, I suppose this could suffice as my “paper” that’s due
every two weeks or so. I will do my best
to keep a little more updated from now on!
One of my good friends at Horn Creek has introduced
me to some music that people would maybe call weird or interesting. But one of the lyrics, which ironically is my
title, states “I've got a perfect
body, though sometimes I forget. I've got a perfect body cause my eyelashes catch my
sweat.” This line may sound a
little arrogant at first to say “I have a perfect body”. But it’s so true. We have perfect bodies. God made us perfectly so that our sweat doesn’t
run into our eyes, we breathe naturally, our heart beats without us thinking
about it, we feel hungry when our body needs nourishment, we have energy and
muscles to exercise and play sports, we can work, watch TV, read books,
remember thousands of song lyrics, memorize phone numbers and passwords…..the
list goes on and on. Although some
people may have bodies that don’t work like they used to or certain aspects
that are failing them such as sight, hearing, memory etc.—that doesn’t mean
that God didn’t still make you a perfect body.
The little things in
life are sometimes exactly what we need to think about when God seems distant
or evasive from our lives. I will do my
best to give a small recap of what I’ve been failing to fill you in on
lately. In the past month I’ve been privileged
enough to visit Moab, UT where I was able to use my “perfect body” to hike
through the amazing Arches National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park
(pictures on Facebook!). The views were
spectacular and we had lots of fun camping, hiking on and off the paths, taking
pictures and just observing God’s beautiful creation. I have spent a lot of time working and plenty
of time playing. I got to shoot guns,
throw knives, learn to use a chainsaw, go apple picking, bake/cook for potlucks,
go on adventures around camp, have late night talks, watch movies, eat some
good food at good restaurants, learn to drive stick shift, work, work, and work
some more, and live in community at Horn Creek with many different kinds of
people.
Among all that, I have
also been challenged. A lot. Being content is sometimes a good thing. But in my walk with Christ, I know He doesn’t
want me to be content or complacent. I
couldn’t quite figure out what’s been going on with me spiritually for a while
until a little over a week ago I had a light bulb moment. I am working in ministry and constantly surrounded
by ministry. We have several teaching
times throughout the week at camp, plus church, small group, discipleship and
then the daily conversations that happen with co-workers and friends. Through all these “contacts” with the
Bible/talking about Jesus, I was drawn into a coasting stage in my faith. I just was letting these instances be enough
for me. But even when God is silent
through my struggles, he is never silent forever and when he speaks it’s
usually pretty clear what he is trying to tell me. We are in a series at church where we are
exploring what it means to be the body of Christ. Currently we are talking about pursuit. We are called to pursue Jesus, with a longing
to know him more. Not just because we
should, but because we want more of him.
The verse that has been
bouncing around my head for the last few weeks now is from Revelation 2:4-5 – “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height
from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” I have been trying to remember the fire and
the intense passion I had for growing to know the Lord when I first began chasing
after Him my second semester of college.
I want that passion back.
My
question is how often do we “forsake our first love”? How often do I choose to tighten my grip on
the things of this world and loosen my grip on Jesus, instead of the other way
around? How often do I pray for more of
Christ? I know that God has done amazing
things in my life, my family, my friends and in my heart. He has given me purpose and passion for living
a life that reflects Christ to the best of my abilities. Jesus gave up everything that I might have
life, and have it to the full. What do I
give up for Him?
