A lift and quad day

About a month ago God burdened my heart to be more thoughtful and purposeful in the spiritual aspects of my close friendships. Through providential ordering of our schedules, it worked for a few of us to meet yesterday evening in order to share about how God has been at work in our lives, offering praise and thanks; to exhort one another with the things we've been learning; to repent and confess; and we also concluded by praying for one another. We opened the time by listening to Derek Webb's audio commentary, found on the album House Show, for his song I Repent. This was NOT a place or time in which we came to boast about how well we are doing at the Christian life.

The Scripture is clear: As Christians we're adopted into God's family and he loves all of us equally, enjoying his communion with the Saints. Furthermore, we do not know the depths of our sinfulness, and even in our best efforts the sting and presence of sin lurks around the corners of our heart. One conclusion or summarizing statement from last evening, as Sarah put it, is that for every one glimpse of our own sinfulness that we see, we should take 10 looks at Christ. Put another way - in that moment in which your convicted that you're tired of being critical of others, judgemental, or you've fallen into that same sin once again - whenever that sense of guilt for being a horrible or wicked person befalls you - look at Christ. Look at how patient he was with the hard hearted - he persistently shared the Kingdom message with those who just couldn't get it. Look also to his healing touch and mercy upon the whores, and to his embracing the sojourner and immigrant. Also look to the cross, the place where God made known this his son will suffer God-foresakenness so that we do not have to. It's in looking at the Christ man and beholding the Father in which we are changed.

To God be the glory for blessing us with this time Monday evening.

Now, here are some pics from Quad Day (The Tuesday before classes start where 500+ organizations signup for tables arranged around the main quad. I would say upwards of 15 - 20 % of the organizations are Christian related.).



Pastor Dave and Sarah at the All Souls PCA table. I really enjoyed hanging out here for most of the day. Toward early afternoon I was growing quite weary and sun beaten, but I prayerfully asked God for a blessing upon that time. He graciously responded by bringing along a couple of new grad students very much interested in the PCA or another reformed church. Very, very good conversation.


And here's the Free Life student ministry out of the Evangelical Free Church that I also attend. Dwayne is the tall, gingerly looking fella on the right. They offered me free food and and a free plant, and lots of Jesus kind of love. It will be good to see what God does through Free Life this year.