Philippians 4:4
On Sunday I wasn't feeling so great about being back in Athens—that is, outside of the Christian community that I'm so used to being surrounded by all the time. Last year after the Freshley spring break mission trip to Jamaica, we had such strong, constant fellowship that we were always encouraging one another and helping each other grow in Christ. This past summer at Camp Highland, I got used to being in the "camp bubble," where nothing from the outside world matters and where we can devote everything to the Lord, knowing that everyone else is doing the same thing. But when the Redcoat Band was the first thing I jumped into when I got back to Athens, it was as if I had just come inside after being out in the bright sun, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the dim light. I knew that the Lord intended to work here in Athens, and I knew that He would bring me back into the community He has blessed me with these last two years, but I was too nearsighted to really see and understand it in the midst of the darkness that covers so much of the band. Just like with the kids this summer, my patience was tested during band camp, and I let it get to me.
But there's a silver lining to this cloud. Throughout the week of band camp, whether the directors and the rest of the band realized it or not, the gospel was being preached very subtly. Despite the darkness that seems to cover the band, the teachings of Jesus Christ—the idea that we are to deny ourselves the immediate pleasures we so often desire, and that we are to humble ourselves and keep ourselves from acting like everything revolves around us—defined the lectures of the directors and lit up the band all week long, even when the band caused their patience to run thin. And it all reached a culminating point tonight when Irby, a former Redcoat and one of the leaders of the Team United Redcoat Bible Study (TURBS), came to practice to make an announcement about the first TURBS meeting. Just like any other Redcoat would do for announcements, he got up on the podium and explained what TURBS is all about... and he dove straight into explaining the gospel. In front of over 430 people, Jesus Christ was proclaimed Lord and Savior by the power of His death on the cross and His resurrection. I could hardly contain myself as Irby fearlessly preached the Good News as if it were a regular topic of discussion among the entire band.
I want to back up some. All of that is what has been happening in Redcoats, but even more has been happening with Freshley/Wesley. Sunday night, my friend Josh (he's more like a brother) got a group of Wesley leaders together, most of whom were on our Jamaica team last year, and we prayed for each other, for the freshmen, and for all of this year. (My friend John also had another separate prayer night, which is really cool because we had two different groups praying passionately for God's will to be done.) We spent the night in awe of everything the Lord is doing and has promised to do. He used each of us to welcome Him and His kingdom here on earth in different ways and to encourage one another in the work and the gifts He has given us. Needless to say, it was a very powerful night that got all of us fired up for the first day of classes.
Then we had Freshley last night. Words can't describe it adequately. During leadership prayer we packed around 100 leaders into the Wesley Prayer Chapel to worship the Lord and to seek Him in prayer for the freshmen and for each other. I've never experienced such authentic worship through music before. As we prayed, the words of the songs we sang seemed to echo our prayers and confirm to us that God is good and faithful to hear and respond to our prayers. Prayer and worship seemed to blur together in a way I've never known before. I've known that prayer and worship go hand in hand, but I've never actually experienced it in that way so clearly before last night. I felt as if I was outside of myself worshiping God and seeking His will. Typically there will be some kind of insecurity or self-consciousness that holds me back from worshiping with everything and pouring out my heart to God, but those chains were gone last night. I found myself with the same excitement and lack of negative self-restraint that I had at camp when I was trying to motivate the campers. And then we got to the actual Freshley service when the freshmen got there, and it was the same way, if not even more so because the freshmen were getting into it too.
During prayer, Elizabeth, one of the interns that I've had the privilege of going to Jamaica with two years in a row, and who will also be my leadership small group (LSG) leader this year, led us to pray that the Lord would create an atmosphere that is thick with the Holy Spirit and that is loving and welcoming and passionate about seeing God glorified. I was talking with one freshman in particular after Freshley, and in his own words, the atmosphere was one of the things he noticed.
Just as I found myself with the same excitement and disregard for my own dignity that I had at camp, I was also taken back to camp in a kind of vision when we sang Into Marvelous Light. I can remember countless times that my cabin would be lagging behind and my co-counselor (whoever it was that week) and I would have to jump up and start running to get them moving. I had a specific image of walking up the hill from the cabins to the gym and suddenly taking off running, urging the campers to follow suit. The Lord used that image to say that others will see and acknowledge our love and excitement and passion for God, and as we live out the abundant life we have been given, they will want to take part in it as well. When we run into marvelous light, we run with a train of people following behind us.
So... Yeah. That discouragement that I had to deal with on Sunday? It's been buried in the grave Jesus rose from. I can't wait to see what God has planned for this year! It may be difficult at times, but I know it will be good.
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