Anew

So, this week has been craaazy. Not in a schoolwork or traveling way like usual, but in a spiritual way. Last Friday, I was reading John 15:1-17 for a class assignment. I went through the passage really slowly and prayerfully, trying to be open to whatever God might say to me through it. I got to verse 15, and read it several times:

"No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you."

As I read those words, I was one of Jesus' disciples, and He was speaking directly to me. I couldn't imagine why I had read those words so many times before, yet had never read them with the understanding I did this time. For years, I have felt distant from God: always trying to get closer to Him, but rarely able. I had no idea where I was going or what God was doing with and around me. I have never experienced Jesus calling me His friend until now. He then showed me verse 11:

"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."

I have been asking God for a while to open me to His love, and to change my heart so I actually desire Him. In these moments when God was speaking to me, the Holy Spirit helped me understand a little more how God really does take joy in me as His son and also began really noticeably changing my desires.

In chapel on Wednesday, the Holy Spirit moved again through the speaker, and God helped me realise the freedom I have in Christ's sacrifice. I knew in my head that I was free from sin, but that day God spoke freedom into my heart. These two intense experiences with God gave me the strangest feeling. I can hardly put it into words...but I kind of felt like I had just become a Christian. I had all this head knowledge about God before...but now I feel like I actually know God. It's...awesome.

Peace.

My bad

God, forgive me for my foolishness and arrogance in going barefoot in today's weather.

I learned my lesson.

Peace.

Call me a heretic

So, some of you may not like what I'm going to say today. I've been doing a lot of thinking (always dangerous, yes), and I've been finding myself moving further and further from the typical mindset of students at Spring Arbor. As some know, I'm looking at going into the sciences at MSU after I graduate from the Arb, specifically their environmental biology/zoology program. If you've read certain of my posts, you may also know I'm terribly sick of watching the generally bad interactions between the Church and scientists, particularly naturalists. Today in my doctrines class, we watched a video about a Christian man named Francis Collins who is also a geneticist, and learned about his coming to faith and attempt to reconcile science and Christianity. My professor, during the discussion afterward, said many theologians often make fools of themselves in trying to argue science when they really have no idea what they're talking about. On the flip side, people like Richard Dawkins end up being made out to be fools when it comes to talking about philosophy. He also said the overwhelming scientific evidence points toward evolution as being an accurate theory.

The thing is, I have very little issue with evolution at this point. *collective gasp*

The more I learn, even in my religion courses, the less I care about arguing this issue...heck, the more I think the evolutionary theory really isn't that bad. Certain philosophical principles people draw from it aren't compatible with Christianity, but the scientific facts pointing to evolution are. My professor said, in fact, science and Christianity are closer in beliefs than ever in the present time. Plenty of people I know would argue with this statement, but many Christians are realising the merits of the new scientific discoveries in genetics and physics, and many scientists are realising the merits of intelligent design theory in explaining the origins of the universe. This is huge. I want to be a part of the group working to reconcile scientists and the church, as I think this discussion has been too long in arriving. Scholars, sure, have been talking about it for a long time, but the Church in general needs to start practicing love and acceptance toward the scientists, especially the atheists and the naturalists which it has shunned for so long. I'm sure some people reading this will strongly disagree with my stance on evolution; go ahead and argue, but you're not helping.

And now, something completely different:

I was chosen to play Jesus for a short skit in a class today. I expressed some thoughts to everyone afterward about this. People who look like me (full beard, long hair, etc.) are often chosen to play Jesus, John the Baptist, Moses, and other similar characters because of how we look on the outside. I cannot think of an instance where someone was chosen to play Jesus because they truly look like Jesus, not in physical appearance, but in character. I may look like some depictions of Jesus, but I don't feel like my life looks like His.

Peace.