Grateful, Deligent and Faithful

2 Timothy 1:6–7 (ESV)

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God…for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Good morning Zebras,

This week I had the privilege of taking my daughter Katherine to Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and dropping her off.  It was a wonderful experience.

On Wednesday night they had a dedication ceremony for the incoming class and the president of Moody gave a short welcoming speech.  During his speech he made three points.

First he said studying at Moody was a privilege.  For every person who got in, he reminded the students, there were two or three others who did not so the students needed to be grateful.

Second, studying at Moody was an opportunity.  Because of its location and single minded focus on ministry, the students have lots of opportunities to grow in not only their faith, but in their knowledge of ministry so they need to be diligent.  They only have four years and they were encouraged not to waste any of it.

And finally he said studying at Moody was a calling.  Students who come to this college are called there because they want to devote their lives to full-time ministry and they need to remember to be faithful to that calling, not to lose focus or get discouraged.

I thought it was a wonderful speech.  But I thought it also applied to every Christian not just Moody Bible Institute students.

First, knowing Christ is a privilege.  The Bible says that God revealed Himself to us.  It wasn’t anything we did.  We were lost sinners whose eyes and ears were closed to the truth until God chose to open them.  For that we need to be grateful.

Second, God has given each one of us an opportunity to glorify Him with our lives.  Unlike the Moody students, who only have four years to complete their task, we have our whole lives.  I, personally have wasted far too many of them.  But I can’t go backwards; I can only go forward, resolving not to live any more years, weeks, or days following the desires of world instead of the will of God.

And finally all of us are called by God to do something.  He has gifted each one of us with talents and abilities and He expects us to use them.  He wants us to be diligent in our pursuit of Him which includes working to understand His Word.  He wants us to be faithful to our calling and not forget the gift that He has given us.

Love,
Jill