Hello from Colorado Springs, CO!
This past week I've had the opportunity to get together with other EDGEcorps staffers from across the country for a time of relaxation, refreshment, training & fun. While Caleb & Mom were still at home for the week, I thought it'd be good to share some of the highlights from the week here.
First off these summits are quite the priviledge as we get to hear first hand about what God is doing all across the country at campuses big (everyone else's) & small (ours!). My soul has been deeply encouraged to hear of the work God is doing at The University of Cincinnati through Rich. The last year, Rich had 30 guys come to a small group bible study the first week of school; from those 30, 8 agreed to deeply, intentionally & sacrificially pursue Christ with their whole being. To hear Rich talk of the years' worth of maturation he has seen in each individual in only a few months is a great testament to what God will do when we pursue Him with all of our heart (Deut 6). This doesn't even begin to touch on what He's been doing through Michelle @ ASU, Brandon & Katie @ NDSU, Luke @ ISU, and Mikey @ UCLA.
How fantastic that God not only gave His son to absolve us of His wrath but on top of that He showers and pours blessings upon blessings that we may have even just a smidgen of a role in His eternal plans. We were enemies and now we're his instruments? Talk about a role reversal.
As for the real meat of our time here at The Glen, we've been treated to workshops on the following topics and maybe in time I'll put notes up as a seperate post:
- God's Heart For the World
- A Men's Lunch on Husbandry
- Spiritual Multiplication
- The Navs' Metro Mission
- Authority of Scripture
- Discipleship (A highlight: "God doesn't show up when I enter a room [to meet with a student]. God is ALWAYS at work right where you are [& aren't]" -Roger Hamilton)
- What Is Personal Character? (Prov. 16:13)
- Fundraising/Ministry Building
However, out of all that I've seen, heard & learned this morning had to be one of the top highlights; Jerry Bridges gave the morning devotion. His topic, "The Love Of God". It didn't go unnoticed by me that one of the most theologically astute people on the planet chose a title so commonplace. Makes me think that there is something worth re-evaluating in the "basics".
Jerry's passage for the day was Genesis 22. In this chapter Abraham is commanded to sacrifice his son Isaac-- only God stops him just before the moment of truth. How much of a relief must it have been for Abraham to be able to spare his only son from certain death? How much moreso when you consider that Abraham had been promised by God that he was going to be the father of a mighty nation and that Isaac was his only shot at seeing that promised fulfilled? How much moreso when you remember that Abraham was pushing 100 and had been longing for his heir for decades?
In this story, Mr. Bridges pointed our 3 similarities between Isaac & Jesus.
- Isaac & Jesus were only sons.
- Both were loved by their fathers. Abe - Isaac, God - Jesus.
- Isaac was named by God, as was Jesus.
However there is one big difference:
Romans 8:32, "He who did not spare His own son, but gave him up for us all..."
Jesus was not spared, Isaac was. This fact should not be taken lightly. God doesn't even spare angels when they sin (2 Pete 2) nor his Son (Ro 8:32, above). God deliberately delivered Jesus to crucify Him. God allowed Judas to go the way of his natural sinful self & Judas "took the money and ran" betraying the Christ. Jesus was not spared, I was.
To illustrate the measure to which God loves us Jerry told this story:
In the mountains of India a tourist bus was winding through a mountainous roadway allowing its' passengers to soak up all the native scenery. Upon the descent down the mountain the local driver the bus notices a problem- the brakes had failed. Having an entire bus load full of strangers only wanting a serene experience, he skillfully navigates the vehicle down the one way road. Twisting and turning down the mountain the driver picks up speed and heads towards the bridge over the river into a local village. As they approach the bridge the driver notices a small girl playing on the road blocking the bridge. Faced with a decision to ditch the bus in the river and lose his passengers or plow on through the girl and over the bridge the driver drives on. Steamrolling closer and closer the driver continues on the road over the bridge and the bus slows to a stop in the village, horrifically taking the girl's life in the process. After having witnessed the event the passengers grew indignant at the driver.
"How could you so coldheartedly take the life of this innocent girl?" they scoffed. "What is the matter with you that you could snuff out her life so blatantly?"
"This is my village" the driver humbly replied, "and that was my daughter."
1 John 3:1 "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! "
