You dare call HIM too late?

I guess this week has been quite a week for me, started off with a lot of grief, but ended with joy and peace. The passage that really hit me in my QTs this week, the one that I'm going to share with you, is the story of Lazarus, as recorded in the book of John 11:21-27.

"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

"Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

In a lot of ways I pretty much went through what Martha went though. I had struggled with one particular situation for months, I had spent much time praying about it, much effort in trying to fix it, and when the situation finally came to an end this week I was angry at God. I was telling him "If you had done this this and this like I ask you to, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now".

In hindsight I realized that God was staring at me smack dab in the face, telling me that things will be fine, and the only thing that me or Martha could come up with was "you're too late". Jesus told her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha replied, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." She still didn't clue in to what Jesus could do. In the same way I also thought He was too late, I thought there was nothing He could do about the situation now, but by His grace what was once a grief was not nearly as grievous as we all thought.

What God really taught me this week, is to not underestimate Him. To never put anything past his abilities, past his sovereignty, past his power. His plan is pleasing and perfect, period. He's never too late, or too early, or too little, or too much.

And that's the encouragement I wanted to share with you guys today. It's an encouragement that Adrienne brought to the worship team last week, and it's one that God really showed me this week. Hamilton campus in the summer is not exactly the liveliest place, it's usually just a handful of people, mostly the team that's already sitting here. It's very easy to feel that's this is just how it is.

But right now, there are enough people on the campus this very instant to fill this room to over-flowing. Let us not put it past God to do just that. On the other hand, if one passer-by hears one line in a song, one sentence from the sermon, and that becomes a link in their chain to salvation, that alone would make these next 6 hours worth while. Let us not put it past God to do that.

As we pray for this afternoon's service right now, may we be reminded, as God so powerfully showed me this week, that God is ready, willing, and able to make miracles a reality in our lives. Are we ready? Are we willing? Do we believe?

From "A Grief Observed"

"Can a mortal ask questions which God finds unanswerable? Quite easily, I should think. All nonsense questions are unanswerable. How many hours are there in a mile? Is yellow square or round? Probably half the questions we ask—half our great theological and metaphysical problems—are like that."

- C.S. Lewis

Westside 101 in a sentense 3: Prayer = ?

Consistent, constant, faithful (Mark 11:22-25) prayer and quiet time =

= Power (John 15:5)
= Freedom (Matthew 11:28-30)
= Intimacy (Luke 10:17)

Who's the better manager?

I got into this little rant at CCF elections 07', as I warned the nominees of the nature of their position, and the required scope of their dedication.

Every year I ask the nominees how they would treat school should they be elected. I for one am very familiar with the stresses of serving and schooling simultaneously; in fact, I pretty much fell flat during my year on committee due to school. And as I see kids come into this fellowship, I feel their pressures of school grow larger year after year, and thus this year I found it of particular importance to press this question as most of the nominees are second years seriously aiming for great marks.

More often than not, the answer I get back for this question involve the words "time management"; that they plan to ask, or have faith that, God will grant them the skill, and patience, and perseverance, and whatever other graceful attribute you'd like use, to properly manage their time and achieve both good school grades and strong CCF leadership.

I think that's a completely wrong perspective on how committee life is supposed to work. What "time management" essentially says is that you believe that God will grant you the ability to do what He and the fellowship wants, AND what you want. What you're saying is that you want to take on this role, but are not prepared to give up anything to do so.

The fact of the matter is, what God calls for isn't a life of balance, it's a life of sacrifice. The faith you place in becoming a committee member isn't cheap. In responding to His calling to CCF leadership, you must put your next school year in His hands. Should He, in his pleasing and perfect will, call on you to surrender your marks for the fellowship's progress, then that's what you have to do. Anything less is simply rebellious.

Being a committee member isn't so glorious now is it? Sorry, I'm just not a big fan of the hug fest that's post-CCF elections. Any ex-committee member would tell you that being on committee isn't particularly fun, nor particularly rewarding, and definitely not easy. Most of the time, the newly-elected's elation is simply an indication of how naive and how unperceptive they are about their future role.

Now I fully believe that God doesn't intend for us to serve and fail school, but until you truly surrender the control you so dearly clench onto in this search for balance, until you give up trying to manage this chunk of academic life you call your own, God cannot work in your studies, or in anything else for that matter.

"Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." Luke 17:33

Until you give up on trying to manage your own life, God won't have a chance to manage it for you.

Third Day - Thief

"I am a thief, I am a murderer
Walking up this lonely hill
What have I done? I don't remember
No one knows just how I feel

and I know that my time is coming soon.

It's been so long. Oh, such a long time
Since I've lived with peace and rest
Now I am here, my destination
guess things work for the best

and I know that my time is coming soon

Who is this man? This man beside me
The one they call the King of the Jews
They don't believe that He's the Messiah
But, somehow I know it's true.

And they laugh at Him in mockery,
and beat Him till he bleeds
They nail Him to the rugged cross,
and raise Him, they raise Him up next to me

My time has come, I'm slowly fading
I deserve what I receive
Jesus when You are in Your kingdom
Could You please remember me

and He looks at me still holding on
the tears fall from His eyes
He says I tell the truth
Today, you'll live with Me in paradise

and I know that my time is coming soon
but I know paradise is coming soon."

Westside 101 in a sentense 2: Identity => Security

My only source of security lies in my identity as a child of God through Christ.

Westside 101 in a sentense 1: Christian Life = Attractive Life

Christ's life attracted people to himself, so I should strive to live my life in a way which attract the people around me, and thus attract people to God.