catching up!!

hi friends!!

I am getting SO excited about summer... it is coming up SO SOON! ahhh cannot wait to get to experience life with y'all on the water and get to share in the joy of Jesus together! This is my "catch-up" blog post, as I have been able to keep up with the studies on my own but have not been so great about posting on the blog... so here are my thoughts from the past couple of weeks! I have been SO encouraged reading all your thoughts!! :)

The Son of Man:

The main thing that this study reminded me of was the fact that when Jesus came to earth, became fully human and endured all the trials, hardships, and daily rountines that any other human would encounter – he was tempted by sin and suffered the same burdens as we do today, yet he chose not to sin and follow his Father. He came down as the Son of Man, to set an example of what it looks like to live a life following and serving the Lord. His full humanity also highlights his humility of being willing to step down from His throne in heaven in order to serve people who were not worthy of his love or grace, yet He freely gave it to them--- UNREAL. He was in no need for forgiveness since He lived a perfect life yet He still died in our place so that WE might be forgiven. And even though He assumed this lowly position, the Lord sets Him on the right hand of the Mighty One, whose domain is everlasting and whose Kingdom will never fade away… that’s the King that I get to serve this summer on the water… UNREAL. I just pray that we can all reflect the humility and love to our campers this summer that the Son of Man freely shows us every day.

The Bread of Life:

This study made me really reflect on what I think gives me sustenance and what things of the world I look to in order to bring me life, such as TV, getting good grades, spending time with friends, really loved and accepted by a group of people, especially campers, etc. When thinking of all these things that I believe bring me “life,” it was kind of like a giant wake up call of how temporary these things satisfied me and how I continually throughout my life am looking for something else of the world to fill me up and satisfy the needs of my heart, while Jesus is just simply standing there, arms open wide, saying “come to ME, I can give you everything you need for life and godliness, I am the BREAD OF LIFE, the only one who can satisfy your deepest longings.” And not only that, but it also made me take a step further and see what think I attribute my success to, such as my study skills, my ability to connect with people, etc. and how none of that success is because of myself or my abilities but is all because of Christ IN me and how I’m missing out on living life to the FULLEST, as Jesus states in John 10:10 by looking to all these other things to fill me up. God has designed this unbelievable life for me with Him being the one who satisfies my needs and HIM alone being my sustainer… this is the life I’m invited to be a part of every day when I wake up… why do I so often choose to be a part of an unfulfilling life of this world when Jesus longs to meet every single one of my needs, as HE is the only bread of life? Definitely making the prayer of this summer to be to only desire HIM and to never hunger, as Jesus will be the one sustaining me and meeting all my needs.

Light of the World:

Something that really convicted me about this passage was the idea of whether I choose to live in the darkness because it’s easier to be in the dark rather than in the light. As hopeful and promising the light is, I think I get nervous being in the light because then Jesus can see the depths of my heart, all of my sin, and how I am SO unworthy to be called a follower of Him. Even though it is still hard being in the darkness, which is just filled by aloneness, aimlessness, confusion, and fear, I think I believe that Jesus can’t see all my faults and imperfections in the darkness, which is completely false. And I think I’m learning that that’s the beauty of the light: the fact that Jesus does see the depths of my heart but loves me the same, the fact that I am so unworthy to be a follower of Jesus with all my sin and yet Jesus sees my sin, forgives my sin, and calls me His daughter. And by choosing to live in the light, we not only get to experience the indescribable, mysterious, unending love of Jesus, but we also get to experience life to the FULLEST, where we never feel alone, confused, helpless, or in fear. With being in the light, we get to now BOAST in our weaknesses, as we know that then the Creator of the universe is working and moving inside of us – so even though it may be scary and sometimes intimidating walking in the light, we now get to enter into a life fully surrounded by Jesus and fully immersed in His presence and love… what a blessing that is!

Stronger Man:

As I was reading this passage, I was getting extremely fired and pumped up thinking “YEAH, this is the God I serve, this is my King!”… the one who defected death, the one who sets captives free, the one who doesn’t destroy the enemy but binds the enemy up and relinquishes any power He has over us by forcing death to let its captives go… I serve this powerful, almighty God, who is the stronger man. He took away Satan’s greatest weapon… the fear of death itself and now we get to place our hope in the LORD and in the truth that we get to look forward to the future with joy, as we know now confidently that we will be back with our Father in heaven forever – we get to place our hope in THIS. It is so critical as a follower of Jesus to not only realize the hope we have in Jesus and all that our Savior has conquered, but also now the power that we have with Jesus, the Stronger Man, the Living God, choosing to dwell inside of us. Why would be afraid of anything knowing that HE, this almighty, powerful God that makes darkness tremble at just the sound of his name, lives inside of us and that we are made strong by HIM? We have NOTHING to fear with Jesus; we have no reason to live in fear – a life with Jesus now means a life of strength provided by HIM, a life full of confidence and JOY, where fear is completely casted out of our lives. THIS is the strength, hope, and power that we have in a life with Jesus – what an unreal blessing the Lord offers us in a life with HIM