Colorado Mountaintops

Just over a month ago, I went to the Free Methodist Youth Conference (FMYC) that was held in Fort Collins, Colorado.  It was a great experience to be a leader there and see how the event impacted the students from our youth group.  I had looked forward to seeing how God would speak to the students, but I did not anticipate how much He would also speak to me during this time.  Most of the eye-opening moments from this trip occurred during the evening session when the speaker, Phil Manginelli, took the stage.  Phil spoke with a passion that magnified everything that God was speaking into your life at that very moment.  It quickly became clear to me that God was speaking through him and using him to impact lives during FMYC.  Since God spoke to me in so many ways during my six days in Colorado, I want to share a few of the things that really had an impact on me.

The very first evening, Phil spoke about the passage in Luke 4 where Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James, and John to follow Him.  When Jesus called these fishermen, they dropped their nets, left their boats, and walked away with Him.  They didn't take their nets along with them as a backup plan.  They left everything that was familiar to them because they trusted Jesus.  Their total abandonment of the one thing that sustained them sends a clear message.  They trusted Jesus to be the only provider they needed.  Earning a living was no longer their primary concern because all basic needs would be met if they obeyed the call to follow the Son of God.  I am amazed at these four men because of their absolute surrender.  Most of us have our own nets that we carry around with us every day.  They are the things that hold us back from from experiencing all that God has for us.  Maybe those nets are something we think is good, but we might need to recognize the restraint it places on our relationship with God.  On the other hand, some of our nets are defined by things that bind us, hurt us, wrongly define us, and make us feel weak.  Whatever the case may be, we need to drop our nets.  They may look comforting to us at the moment, but they are preventing us from experiencing all that God has for us.  He wants all of us, and that can't happen unless we are willing to completely surrender every part of our lives to Him.  The things God has in store for us are always better than what we've been keeping from Him.

The second idea I want to share goes along with that same Bible story.  Jesus used the words "follow me" when He called the disciples.  This wasn't an accident, but let me back up for a minute before I dive into more about those two words.  The definition of the a disciple is a learner who follows the master.  An interesting point to make here is that either we are a disciple or we aren't.  Jesus calls us to follow Him and, in doing so, calls us to be a disciple.  Don't read over this too quickly and miss the point.  Jesus actively calls us to a life where we follow after Him every day.  Saying the sinner's prayer is a great thing, but it's just the beginning of the journey.  I used this analogy to explain this to my students.  Imagine that I walk up to you and ask you to get me a glass of water.  Would you say, "Sure!" but continue to stand there and look at me?  I doubt it, but that's what we do to God every time we neglect to follow Him.  To declare Jesus as the Lord of your life is to respond to His call.  Our journey through life should be shaped by the guidelines He set up for us and the plans He has made for our lives.  So, if God is asking you to get Him a glass of water today, make sure you're words and actions agree.  Following Him will almost certainly mean that we have to take a risk, but that is simply a part of having faith.

Speaking of risk, I had the opportunity to climb a bit of the Rocky Mountains while I was in Colorado.  This was one of the scariest, yet most satisfying things, I have done in my entire life.  It wasn't too difficult to get most of the way to the top just by walking, but there came a point where the only option was to climb.  After deciding that this was probably a once in a lifetime opportunity, I began to climb.  Thankfully, I didn't have far to go until I reached the top.  Once there, I sat in a crevice and just looked at my surroundings for a while.  I was eye level with the mountaintops across the valley.  The view was absolutely breathtaking.  Sitting there, thinking of my creator brought me to tears.  The pictures I took don't really do it justice, but I will share some of them at the end anyways. 

The main idea that I took away from FMYC was that I need to run after God with my entire being.  He doesn't want some half-hearted attempt at being a Christian.  He desires to see me pursue Him with all that I have in me, and I believe that is His call to all of us, Christian or not.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." 
Hebrews 12:1-3