Never-ending

All we know are beginnings and ends. Starts and finishes. Point A to point B. Building houses in the Philippines began with my training on June 2nd, and will end after a debrief on August 4th. As this summer mission comes to an end, it would be so simple and human for this experience in the Philippines to end. This idea is engrained in our very human nature, right?

The apostle Paul knew much about human nature. In Galations, he tells this to the believers: "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please." - Galatians 5:16-17

Applying this passage to our lives, we must fight against every part of the flesh which goes contrary to the will and word of God. One thing we must fight is our forgetfulness. As I read through the book of Exodus, I was taken away by how many times the Lord repeated himself. How every ritual and sacrifice had meaning. Passover to the Feat of Unleavened bread, so the people would not forget what God had done. Exodus 20:2 says, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me."

"Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey.” -Exodus 24:7 Yet 12 chapters later, these are the same people who build for themselves a golden calf to worship. How easily do we forget what God has delivered us from.

This summer, the Lord has delivered me from my own chains. I now have desire to dig into the scriptures and to be mentored by a college minister while at my university. I want to learn to live out this love Jesus speaks of, a love by which people will know we are followers of Jesus Christ, not just nice people. I want to grow into being a man after God's own hear, not to be classified as a "college student." Receiving a diploma does not magically make you a man or woman. What I have learned and been taught by God, may I never forget. He has allowed this mission to change my life. Not in a crying, tear jerking emotional way, but in the very core of my being. This chapter of my life is part of the never-ending relationship I have with God. May we learn from the past, and never forget what God has done in our own lives. May we not live for the dot of this life, but for the arrow of eternity.