Desert Island

Aaaaand I’m back! Sorry for the delay in posts…it’s seriously been the craziest semester ever. Am I the alone one??? Now that spring break is approaching, I have time to actually stop and look back at all that has happened over the past couple of months. I have a lot on my mind, so bear with me. Don’t be surprised if there are a series of posts updated in the next few days. For now, here’s a thought that’s been on my mind the past couple of months.  

A couple of weekends ago, my friend and I had decided to take some much needed rest and skip church Sunday morning (scandalous, I know). We slept in and then took a couple of hours to just reflect on all God has done in our lives and the journey of how we came to know Him – it was really cool. During that time, we asked each other how we could pray for one another. We both agreed that this semester we had been slacking in terms of having a daily quiet time, intentionally studying God’s Word, etc. And yes, while I do miss doing those things and I want to start doing them more often, for the first time in my life, I felt no guilt. I felt no guilt in the fact that I had not been using those resources to come closer to the Lord. You may be thinking, “Who does this girl think she is?” I’ll tell you exactly who I am: I am a child of God, saved by grace, not by my works, the Beth Moore Bible study I’m currently working on, or the worship bands I sing along with.

Please don’t misunderstand me: of course we should take advantage of the resources we have. Especially in regards to the Word of God itself – reading, meditating, and obeying it are not friendly suggestions – it’s a commandment. Same with the church – how can we be an example of Christ if we take no interest in investing in the body of believers He died to save?

But, what I am saying is that even if we had none of these things, we could still have an intimate, growing relationship with Christ, which I think is incredible. Even if I was stranded on a desert island with no devotional or small group to keep me accountable, I would still have Christ. Even if I had no church, no Bible even, I could still have fellowship with Jesus. Our relationship would still continue to grow and He would still be enough for me.

All that to say…go to church. Have fellowship with believers. Read, study, and obey the Word of God. Serve others. These are not suggestions – again, they are commandments given to us from the Lord. But, remember that Jesus did not call us to a “cookie-cutter Christianity”, which I think a lot of people fall into (including myself). We think that there is only one correct way to follow Christ and to get to know Him, and any other is a sign of being “led astray”. God also called us to creativity; take a walk in the woods and get to know Him. Play the music that He has gifted you with as an act of worship to Him. Write a poem. Go enjoy the sunshine and throw a football (preferably not alone…that may not go over well). Get creative. Recognize the talents God has given you and use them as an avenue with which to give Him praise.

What can you offer back to Him that comes from just you? If you were on a desert island, with no resources to aid you, what could you give Him? With your heart, your body, your voice, your thoughts, your actions? Give Him your whole being, and you’ll be amazed what He can do.