"The Stones Would Cry Out!"

So funny story from spring break:
Some other guys and I decided to go walking around where we were staying in Lauderdale by the Sea and ended up walking to the really large church. The outside was nice and the main building had a steeple so tall that lights were put on it to warn away airplanes. Stain glass decorated the buildings and in front were three fountains as well. As we approached the fountains I noticed that it sounded like music was coming from around them somewhere. Intrigued, I followed the music to its source and was surprised and amused to find that the speakers that were playing it were disguised in what looked to be either real or artificial rocks. Now why is this funny? Take a look at Luke 19:37-40:

Now He came down near the path down the Mount of Olives and the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen: "Bleesed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven!" Some of the Pharisees from the crowd told Him, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples." He answered, "I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out."

(emphasis added)

So to be standing outside a church and to hear praises rising up from the rocks...

It took me all night long....

Yeah, another paper that had to be completed. Makes for two papers now that I have stayed up all night to complete. It's fun. If April 12 is reached while still maintaining sanity it is home free except for finals.

So since sometime over the weekend I have felt...motivated. That's really the best word for it. For the first time I have actually felt like I am hungry to read God's Word. It's exciting. I'd say more but in light of the fact that I have only had about 1.5 hours of semi real sleep in the last 42 hours, articulate thought is not my strong point at the moment.

Sifting away chaff

So this morning Dr. Stanley's sermon was on the process of "sifting" that God will put us through in order to make us suitable for service to Him (sifting being the process by which the actual usable part of wheat is separated from the unusable portion, or "chaff" as it is called). In closing out the sermon Dr. Stanley encouraged the congragation to go before God and seek out whatever sort of chaff He would identify in our lives for removal. The scary thing is, I think I was getting my answer before the suggestion was fully made (I don't think I even had a real clue as to what the suggestions was going to be) and the frustrating thing is that what has been pointed out to me is something I don't think I want to let go of.

So now I have this rather unpleasant flesh vs. spirit sort of battle going on in my head/heart and I really am not sure where the battle lines are, what's on who's side, what the rules of engagement are or anything. Intel is falling down on the job so to speak. Of course, Dr. Stanley did point out that the sifting process isn't exactly a pleasant one. Just pray that I will seek after and find God's will, and then that I will be willing to trust and follow it.

(throw on top of this a paper or two due almost every week until school is over and I may just about reach the edge of my sanity. This could get interesting...)

The loaded question

So tonight I met for the first time with a man who I hope to meet with a bit more in the future as I see there being a potential for me to learn a great deal from him. He is someone I have a great deal of respect for both as a man and as a Christian.

So I guess the biggest thing I took away from this meeting is his question: "What is the chief end of mankind?" Whoah. I mean, I essentially knew the answer but at the same time it is not something I had really though of much.

"The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever."

It is amazing how much your perspective on things changes when you take that into account. Add onto that 1 Corinthians 10:31 " So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." and how you approach your day-to-day tasks has to change too. I'm not sure of all the ramifications of this for me now, but it's worth praying about a bit. So I'm out until next time.

Why indeed...

So I was struck with an interesting thought a while back: Why is it that we as Christians are so willing to trust God with something so great as our eternal salvation but yet we so often won't trust Him with even this very day He has given us?

I mean seriously. Think about all the things we often don't trust God with. Relationships. Finances. Jobs. School. Possessions (which ironically aren't really ours anyway). The list could go on. Sure I say that I trust God, but when I look at what I spend my time and energy working on and thinking (or is that worrying?) about I can't help but be convicted that it is not a matter of merely saying that I trust but I still have to actually let go of that control. Easier said than done. Something I can't claim to have a real handle on how to do either. But I guess that figuring that out is a matter of trust too eh?