Seek and Save The Lost ~ Luke 19:1-10

           Last night I had the privilege to attend the launch service of the church plant that my brother, Jay, is serving at—Declaration Church in Bryan, TX. The Lord definitely moved in power throughout the service by encouraging and convicting me. Blake Chilton taught on the story of Zaccheaus. Yes, Zaccheaus the wee little man who climbed up in the sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see. Blake talked about how Jesus pursued Zaccheaus even though he was known as a liar and a sinner. Luke 19:10 says, “For the Son of Man [Jesus] came to seek and save the lost [Zaccheaus].” After Blake read this verse, he challenged us by asking if we are actively seeking the lost. “We” being Christians, who are made in the image of God and called to be holy as Jesus is holy (1 Peter 1:16).

             As he made this challenge, the word “seek” stood out to me. You see, my prayer the last half-year has been that The Lord would show me opportunities to love the lost. For the past six months I have just been sitting and waiting for an opportunity to love the lost to, and have not been seeking that opportunity. It’s as if I have been playing Hide and Go Seek and have been the person seeking, but instead of going to find the people hiding, I sit there expecting them to jump out at me. It’s as if, instead of saying, “ready or not here I come!”, I’ve said “ready or not" and just sat at home base. I have been passive instead of active in looking for opportunities to love to the lost. Through Blake’s challenge, The Lord was telling me that He wants to use me, but in order to do so I have to be active in seeking the lost. [Especially here at conservative Texas A&M University and in my super Christian bubble.]

            We ended the service by singing “Oceans” and “With Everything” by Hillsong United. Both of these songs have lyrics about trusting The Lord and being used by Him. In the past, I’ve sang these songs as a prayer saying that I trust Him with my future and asking Him to use me in the future. As I was singing the songs last night and praying that He would help me to seek the lost in my future, He convicted me once again. You see, as I was praying this for my distant future and not the here and now. I was thinking that my “future” meant this summer or next year or when I’m married. It was in this moment that Jesus so very sweetly reminded me that he can use me this very week or even tomorrow to save the lost. I was crying out “Spirit, lead me where my trust is with out borders, let me walk upon the waters wherever you would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wonder and my feet will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior…” for my distant future and not the here and now of today.

            So, my challenge is that you would actively seek to love the lost and that you would pray and expect Him to take you deeper than your feet could ever wander TODAY. 

Inadequate and Dependent

As I sit in the Memorial Student Center on A&M's campus trying to come up with the motivation to study for my last Children's Literature test, a better idea came to me. Why not start a blog for this summer?

Well, if you haven't heard or seen my many posts on any social media site, this summer I will be working as a Recreation Leader for Student Life. What's Student Life? "Student Life is an inter-denominational ministry that exists to help people know Christ through His Word. We accomplish this by offering Gospel-centered, high energy summer camps and youth conferences that explore the Bible and life with Jesus Christ." (Coming straight from studentlife.com) My team and I will be traveling the nation to put on youth camps for church youth groups. As a Recreation Leader, I will oversee and run the daily recreation time for students at camp and have many other random jobs. One of these random jobs is to lead a devotion for my Blue Crew squad of 75-275 students.

While I am super pumped about traveling the nation to serve middle and high school students, I am also somewhat anxious. I feel that I am very inadequate to stand in front of that many students and give my story of how The Lord has worked in my life, let alone stand in front of that many people at all. As I began to confess this worry of mine, The Lord put me right in my place and reminded me that I am, in fact, very inadequate. I cannot, by myself, muster up enough courage to stand in front of that many people and tell them anything. In this, The Lord has been so sweet to remind me that I am not doing this job for myself or by myself-- He called me to this role, and I believe that he will "equip [me] with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:21 NIV)

Remembering this, my prayer for this summer is that it will never be about myself. I don't want to stand up there and tell them how I have made myself into a better person. I pray that when I speak, the students will be able to see the weight of who He is and His glory, and lives would be changed in light of it. I pray that they will see how The Lord has changed my life for His glory, not my own. 

"For from Him and through Him and to Him are all tings. To Him be the glory forever. Amen" (Romans 11:36 ESV) 

As I get ready to spend two and half months of my summer with Student Life, I ask you to spend time praying for me. Throughout the summer, I plan (Lord willing) to post blogs about how The Lord has worked at camp. I also will post prayer requests so my prayer warriors can know what to pray for specifically. As I prepare for this summer, I ask that you  join with me in praying for these things:

The churches we will be serving.

Students that come to camp and don't know The Lord.

Boldness and courage for myself.

Unity as a team.

Selflessness.

I am so very thankful for each of you and your prayers! I can't wait to see what The Lord does through them!