Redemption for His glory.

It's so different here and I love it.  

Today I had lunch with a freshman girl who was born in England and raised part time there and part time in the Bahamas.   Another freshman I've been hanging out with a lot is from Arizona but went to boarding school in New Hampshire.  She is national champion horseback rider.  I met Gerald Ford's son.  He works here.  One of my friends told me her parents were sitting front row at fashion week in New York last week.  Most everybody here plays golf, lacrosse, tennis, and croquet.  And most of them have mountain homes and beach homes.

It's different, that's for sure.  But, we are all the same, aren't we?  No matter where we come from, whether we have gobs of money or very little.  Whether we have multiple homes or only one humble little house.  Whether we are hungry or abundantly full, we are created in God's image.  We are all hungry for Him, aren't we?  

There was a Pakistanian who spoke at church on Sunday.  He is a missionary to Muslims in the middle east, risking his life often.  We are so hungry for truth and for Jesus.  In America where there is plenty, sometimes its hard to recognize that hunger.  Or we recognize it, but we have plenty of "things" to try to fill the hunger.  Anyway, that Pakistan missionary kind of touched on that when we spoke with him briefly at the picnic afterwards.  He quoted Matthew 6:24, "You can not serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

Yet, I feel myself getting caught up in that.  Some of my small, earthly dreams are coming true already.  I mean, I met my favorite band, Needtobreathe, and spent a little bit of time talking with them last week thanks to these students.   I'm probably going to get to spend a couple of days in New York City during the Christmas break with one of my student friends who is from Greenwich, CT.  We will stay at her home.  Which, anyone that knows me well, going to NYC during the Christmas season has been a dream of mine since, quite possibly, the day I was born.  Or maybe the first time I saw Miracle on 34th Street or Home Alone 2.  Those idealistic images have never left my mind.  

So, I'm thankful that the Lord is allowing me to take part in those blessings.  But, I don't want to be sidetracked by awesome weekend trips and concerts that I forget the mission I came here to proclaim.

Because here's the deal.  Along with the cool stories about jet setting and beautiful homes and fun concerts, I'm hearing painful stories.  Stories of eating disorders and broken, broken homes.  I hear stories of heart wrenching break ups and fights among friends.  It never stops.  Nothing can heal the brokenness apart from Christ.  

We've been looking at Genesis in Freshman bible study, and I am actually going to be leading a bible study in Kappa and Chi O on Genesis.  We are looking at how we are created in God's image.  That each one of us is a king or queen... as cheesy as that may sound, it's a beautiful thought and more importantly a true thought.  We are heirs to the kingdom thanks to God's sacrifice.  But, humankind chose to be their own god and we choose that every day.  That is what has broken us.  Thankfully the Lord has chosen to redeem it.  He is the only hope I have to offer those who are hurting, who can't figure out what they want to do with the rest of their lives, who feel rejected, who feel ugly, and stressed.  That God has made something greater for us.  Something greater than New York at Christmas time and cute boys in bands.  He is greater than even the beautiful, beautiful mountains that surround me.  He created those things.  And they all speak of His glory.  

So I choose to worship Him and point others to Him. 

"And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." - 1 Corinthians 2:1-2

"The heavens proclaim his righteousness, 

       and all the peoples see his glory.

  All who worship images are put to shame, 

       those who boast in idols— 

       worship him, all you gods!

  Zion hears and rejoices 

       and the villages of Judah are glad 

       because of your judgments, O LORD.

  For you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth; 

       you are exalted far above all gods.

  Let those who love the LORD hate evil, 

       for he guards the lives of his faithful ones 

       and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

  Light is shed upon the righteous 

       and joy on the upright in heart.

  Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, 

       and praise his holy name." - Psalm 97:6-12