Senior Night

We recently had Senior Night at The Link...where our graduating seniors have a chance to encourage the rest of the youth group in what they've learned, something to spur them on, words of wisdom, Scripture, etc. They represented the faithful as they sat on stage & shared...it was a very bittersweet night for me to say the least. Adam & I, as the senior small group leaders, had a chance to challenge/encourage our students as well...here is what I told them:

*Hebrews 12:1-2 "...let us also lay aside every weight, & sin which clings so closely & let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder & perfecter of our faith..." I wanted them to understand that this is a long-distance race, not a sprint. And that evil always lies close at hand...they need to actively "throw aside" those weights & sins that are so easy to get attached to...& have the Lord insist on the their best. That God would not let up on them until they have gone the distance...being molded & used by Him along the way.

*2 things I proposed to them as they move on in their future:

-Be a blessing. Live out your love (Live Love)...for God first, then others. Let love compel all that you do. Life is not about you...so go, be a blessing.

-Decide what you want most in life. Hopefully, that would be to please the Lord above all else...to fulfill His purpose for you. Sometimes we get mixed up in our priorities of what we really want in life...job, status, relationships, friendships, money, success, etc....while some of those things aren't all bad...they can so quickly & easily disappoint. They can fail. But God will NEVER disappoint, He will NEVER fail. So all you are needs to go all to Him first & pleasing Him first be THE priority.

I talked about funny & more serious things I have gone through with the 8 that were there: holding their hand through surgeries, boy/girl problems, family stuff, bad hair-dye jobs, getting in trouble for taking them "out of town" & not telling their parents...lots of laughter & tears but moslty awesome memories. And my girls...wow. Their faithfulness, their love of the Lord & for people, they are so fun, they let me be me, encourage & challenge me to be a better me, teach me, they support me, spur me on. They are incredible. They are God's gift & blessing to me! They are what makes me passionate about doing what God has called me to do.

What a Waste

I recently had the blessing of teaching our girls on a Wednesday night at The Link, as all the guys went to a men's worship night. Taking advantage of who my crowd was, I taught about 5 different women & how they worshipped God. Our students have a great understanding that worship is not just in musical praise (although that is an element of worship), but it is a lifestyle, an attitude, a heart matter. I talked about Miriam, Mary & Martha, Lydia, & the Sinful Woman. It was fun to learn more about these women & how they worshipped...through song/music, serving, sitting at the feet of Jesus, using a spiritual gift...but the one that I spent most of my time on was the Sinful Woman. The way she worshipped Jesus impacted me greatly & has left me thinking about her style ever since. Her story, or the version I used, is in Luke 7:36-50. It's the story of the woman with the alabastar jar of expensive perfume/ointment, which was broken, and it's contents poured upon the Savior by this woman, in preparation for His burial, & she also washed Jesus' feet with her own tears & hair. The Pharisee in this story was angered at what he considered to be a great waste of such wealth.

She was so sinful. She was known for it. But she had a heart full of deep compassion & love towards the Savior...who she KNEW could heal her & love her as she was. This woman came to Jesus offering ALL that she had...both figuratively & literally. She poured out her tears to wash his feet, she emptied herself in brokeness & humility to do this act of service. She poured out ALL of her perfume or ointment on Jesus...something that represented her future & carried great worldly wealth. She spent all of herself on Jesus. Wasted.

The Pharisee was having none of it. What a waste.

He revealed to me that oftentimes, even as christians, we ourselves treat some of God's most loving servants, in like manner. Some may come into our lives that are "head over heels" (extremely) in love with Jesus, pouring out their very best upon the Savior ... giving their entire all to Him ... their entire heart ... their entire life. How often do we respond to such commitment in others, with that same attitude of heart, which the Pharisee showed toward this woman? The Lord asked me about my own heart. He challenged me to consider my commitment towards Him. Am I giving Jesus my all? Am I pouring out my best upon Him ... all that I have ... all that I am? I was challenged to consider if this (a heart after the things of this world) is my hearts condition, or do I pour the very best of myself out upon my Savior? Am I viewing the King of kings as the greatest value of my heart and life? Are my thoughts consistently on what, in my life, I can do to pour out of myself, all that I have & all that I am, that I might bless my Savior, as did this woman? Does He matter more to me than anything else? What this woman did in honor of the Savior mattered so much to Him, that He proclaimed that wherever the gospel would be preached, her story would be told in memory of her...& it is! I just read it!

She spent everything she had in order to worship God. Serving others is SO important...but in this case, she was serving HIM alone. Serving others is one of my priorities, but serving Him alone should be higher. This woman wasn't interested in holding anything back...she layed it all out...her future, hopes, pride, dreams. She was so transparent in her worship. How often am I that transparent with my God? How long has it been since I have been that broken over my sin & shortcomings? Am I one of those worshippers the Father is seeking...the kind that worship Him in spirit & in truth (John 4:23)?

I want my life to reflect this kind of love. I want to waste my life in ways that the world can never understand. I want to spend every moment pouring out my love for Jesus. Whatever it is…dancing, singing, writing, or simply laying on the ground…I will do it gladly. He poured out His life for me, the least I can do is pour out all of myself & waste my life in love. Really, eternally…this is not a waste…in fact, this is the BEST use of my life.

Glorious waste.