Currently, I am reading through the book of Romans. I started over a week ago, and I’m still in the first chapter. It’s just that good. As I attempt to sift through Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, I find myself being constantly reminded of the sin in my life and my desperate need of grace. As Christians, we are good at forgetting who we really are and why we need Jesus in the first place. My heart rejoices that while I live in the midst of my brokenness, my God loves me.
In Romans chapter one, Paul spends a significant amount of time discussing sin and the fact that because we do not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, we find ourselves filled with wickedness (1:28). Paul is reminding them, and us, that if our own spiritual growth is not a priority, we cannot overcome the sin in our lives by ourselves. As I let the truth of that sink in, I continue to return to the opening verse of the chapter. He writes, “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.” Paul describes himself as a servant; God has purchased him. As believers, we no longer have the right to decide what will become of our lives. The moment you say, “yes” to God, the calling in your life becomes evident. We are called to be set apart for the sake of the Gospel. The Gospel must become such a part of our lives that the saving power of God is spread wherever we go. You see, salvation doesn’t stop with being purchased by God and a calling being put on your life – there must be a response. That response is found in verse 5; because of Jesus we receive grace, and through that, our obedience to spiritual growth and evangelism comes from our faith in Him.
As I come up on my last Sunday with Highland, I praise God for the opportunity to come and walk alongside you as you invest in the lives of your students. I am continually amazed that God allows me, with the sin and struggles in my life, to play a part in reaching the world for Him. I’m grateful that your church was a part of His plan for my life.
I commit to praying for you, your family and your church as you seek the youth minister that God is calling to Highland. As you wait for God to reveal what’s next, I pray that you each remember the impact you have on the spiritual growth of your children. As I shared a few paragraphs earlier, because of our faith in Jesus, we are called and have the opportunity to invest in others for the sake of the Gospel. May your children and the world around us see Jesus and the power of the Gospel in us as we strive to become more like Christ each and every day.
