Thursday, April 12, 2007

ECA and keeping it simple


I had the opportunity to share at Elkhart Christian Academy's Chapel this morning. I love the opportunity to go and support any gathering of this type with our NMC students.
I've shared at their chapel several times. Thursday at 9 am is a tough time, I'm still hung over (in an emotional and spiritual sense) from our Wednesday Youth Service.
This morning I had the message planned, a straight-forward challenge to be a follower of Christ over simply being a believer (Mark 1:16-18 contrasted to James 2:18-20).
Just before getting up to share, I had a sudden flash of doubt come over me that this message was going to be too boring and too harsh with the students knowing so little of me. I had an urge to simply get up and tell a few fun stories and encourage everyone to love Jesus.

It was a tough moment... was I hearing God's still small voice, were my insecurities simply rising up, or was the enemy throwing lies my way? I wish I could say I knew for sure in that moment. That would make me sound really cool. I didn't. But as I leafed through scripture, I could not come up with any strong direction to head other than the one I had mapped out last night. I proceeded.

At the close, Russ (ECA's Discipleship Director) told me that what I had shared was clearly inside God's timing in where the school is at. I had several students share the same thing.

Now, here's the point where I talk about how awesome and obedient and in tune with the Spirit I am, right? Quite the contrary. I was reminded how much I need to re-tune my ear to the Spirit's voice. I almost missed it. It wasn't my greatness that shined through today. It was His grace and guidance.

Fun learning time.

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