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Checking in this week at the end of the first quarter at IAS. Absolutely crazy that we’re already 1/4 through the school year! It has been a packed out couple of weeks! I got to experience my first service day with IAS, I got to visit with friends in San Juan, I was able to video call some friends back home to catch up and get some encouragement which is always a blessing, hike a volcano with church friends, and a lot more! I am so thankful for the ways that God continues to provide each day and for the opportunity to be used by Him and for His work. I am so unworthy, but I am reminded daily of His endless love for me even when I am undeserving. In World History the other day, I had the opportunity to discuss with the class just how good it is to be loved by God even when we couldn't do anything to deserve it. We were discussing Asian philosophies and began to compare Taoism and Buddhism to Christianity. I asked them to think about the most amazing experience they have ever had in life. After a minute or two I followed up by asking what they did immediately after the experience. Nearly all of us would have the same reaction; “I told someone about it”. Our natural reaction to greatness is praise and adoration. When we truly experience the love of God, it’s so good we have to tell people about it! The gospel is such good news because it offers a solution to the brokenness in the world. Every world religion acknowledges the world is broken. If someone tried to tell you the world had no problems, you would definitely think they were insane. While each religion and philosophy agree the world is broken, they differ on how to fix that brokenness. A unique aspect of Christianity (one area where Taoism, Buddhism, and many other world religions / philosophies fall short) is that it has an outside source. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life, died as a ransom for the sin and brokenness in the world, and rose again that we might have new life in Him. I am made new, not because of any holiness that I can muster up on my own, but because of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice I can be made whole again. Compare that to the basic premise of a religion like Buddhism where you basically have to pick yourself up by your own bootstraps. You have to go to extreme measures in order to possibly free yourself from suffering and if you don’t achieve that freedom, it’s because you didn't try hard enough. I don’t know about you, but that is a lot of legalistic pressure to think that I have to work all my life to maybe possibly fix the brokenness in myself. I am so thankful to be reminded of the words in Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Notice this difference in language here: God shows His love. What did we have to do with it? Yeah, we were just broken. Jonathan Edwards said, “You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.” As a recovering perfectionist myself, I daily need the reminder that I am not called to be perfect in my own power, I am called to be obedient to God’s Word and walk humbly in His service. I could never do enough good, meditate long enough, sacrifice enough things, spend enough time to right the brokenness that exists inside and thankfully I don’t have to fix it! Jesus already did that and now I am not only free from the brokenness, but I am also free to do good and share the love of God with others. This is exactly what I hope to do in all areas of my life, including the classroom! Working each day, not to gain the love of God, but because I already have (undeserved) the love of God! I am so thankful that He has led me here and I pray that I live in a manner worthy of what I am called. As always, thank you for your support and for continuing to follow along on the journey!
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