Wednesday, February 13, 2008
God's Mission and Ours
Looking at the room of college students, I asked “What is the mission of God? Why did He create the world and seek to redeem a people for Himself?”
On Saturday, I led a workshop for University of Missouri students in Columbia. I challenged them to consider thoughtfully how their mission in life lined up with God’s mission in the world.
God’s mission is to be glorified! In other words, He wants all His diverse excellencies to be seen, cherished, and reflected by the people whom He created. He wants all His people to know, in an experiential way, not simply in their head, the love and joy which exist within the Godhead. Just as the moon does not simply absorb the light of the sun, but reflects it, so we also reflect the glory of God when we participate in this wild river of love and joy.
The result of knowing God’s love and joy is like the result of a bottle of pop being shaken up and opened. Fizz everywhere! We should ooze the love and joy of Jesus if we truly know him. When we do this, He is glorified.
This should be our mission: fizz, ooze, and overflow the love and joy of Jesus! When we do this, we participate in God’s mission to glorify himself!
For college students, their mission may be to love the student on their dorm floor. For dads and moms, glorifying God in your home means overflowing God’s joy and love on your children. Every person’s application will be different. However, for all of us, the most important application is to know, love, and rejoice in God. If we aren’t taking in God’s glory, we cannot reflect it.
On Saturday, I led a workshop for University of Missouri students in Columbia. I challenged them to consider thoughtfully how their mission in life lined up with God’s mission in the world.
God’s mission is to be glorified! In other words, He wants all His diverse excellencies to be seen, cherished, and reflected by the people whom He created. He wants all His people to know, in an experiential way, not simply in their head, the love and joy which exist within the Godhead. Just as the moon does not simply absorb the light of the sun, but reflects it, so we also reflect the glory of God when we participate in this wild river of love and joy.
The result of knowing God’s love and joy is like the result of a bottle of pop being shaken up and opened. Fizz everywhere! We should ooze the love and joy of Jesus if we truly know him. When we do this, He is glorified.
This should be our mission: fizz, ooze, and overflow the love and joy of Jesus! When we do this, we participate in God’s mission to glorify himself!
For college students, their mission may be to love the student on their dorm floor. For dads and moms, glorifying God in your home means overflowing God’s joy and love on your children. Every person’s application will be different. However, for all of us, the most important application is to know, love, and rejoice in God. If we aren’t taking in God’s glory, we cannot reflect it.
February Prayer Requests
YMI (YothFront Mission Institute) - Continue to pray for wisdom as we plan. Pray we would find missionaries to partner with. Also, ask God to prepare the hearts of the students who will be coming. Finally, we really need a female full-time staff member to partner with us. Pray for patience and wisdom as we search.
Club 121 - Pray specifically for the high school students that we are meeting with on a weekly basis. Pray that God’s light would shine through them on campus and in their homes. Finally, pray for wisdom to know how to challenge them.
Camp - Recruiting for cabin leaders is going well, but there is still a lot to get done before camp starts. Pray we will have wisdom as we hire. Also, pray that more male students would apply for the cabin leader position. Finally, ask God to send a Cabin Leader Assistant to work with Jonathan this summer.
Fellowship - Pray for unity as we decide where the Lord wants us to fellowship with others on Sunday morning.
Family — Amanda is looking more and more pregnant each day. With just over 8 weeks left, things are starting to get a little uncomfortable. Continue to pray for the health of her and the baby. Also, pray that God would continue to prepare us for the role of parenting. Ask God to reveal areas of sin and struggle in our lives that we do not want to pass on to the next generation.
Club 121 - Pray specifically for the high school students that we are meeting with on a weekly basis. Pray that God’s light would shine through them on campus and in their homes. Finally, pray for wisdom to know how to challenge them.
Camp - Recruiting for cabin leaders is going well, but there is still a lot to get done before camp starts. Pray we will have wisdom as we hire. Also, pray that more male students would apply for the cabin leader position. Finally, ask God to send a Cabin Leader Assistant to work with Jonathan this summer.
Fellowship - Pray for unity as we decide where the Lord wants us to fellowship with others on Sunday morning.
Family — Amanda is looking more and more pregnant each day. With just over 8 weeks left, things are starting to get a little uncomfortable. Continue to pray for the health of her and the baby. Also, pray that God would continue to prepare us for the role of parenting. Ask God to reveal areas of sin and struggle in our lives that we do not want to pass on to the next generation.
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