My Intended Purpose

This is actually an essay that I wrote for my class in "philosophy of Christian education". But if you're reading this, I hope this applies to you as well in your line of work.

My Intended Purpose

When Christians are in a period in life that inquires direction, people often ask the question and ponder “what is God’s will for my life?” It is a common question when people are in a place of transition, hardship, confusion, or any other type of circumstance in life where the next stepping stone is not visibly laid out for them. People want to know what it is they ought to do and how to do it, with some sort of revelation to get them going. Teachers are no exception to this, as one may find him or herself standing at crossroads that requires them to make decisions out of response to students, other teachers, administrations, parents, and the community.

The answer is actually in the form of the question. Rather than asking “what is God’s will for my life?” we ought to be asking “what is my purpose?” A brick layer that is contemplating on what he should be doing in his line of work only needs to look at his job description: to lay down bricks!

Therefore, Christians only need to look at what is their intended purpose, what they were made for… which is to be the image of God. “We are not God, but as the image or reflection of God, we must show what the reality of God is like. As a reflection, we must then display the attributes of God in all dimensions of life as God enables us to do so” (Graham, p. 74). As Christians we are to restore that purpose.

People will distort purpose by making it about them rather than focusing on God’s purpose for us—a result of human sin. As a teacher restoring purpose, it does not require him or her to be preachy, and they may not even be able to do so anyways because of policies that restricts them from doing so. But they can still live out their purpose by instilling rational, creativity, morals, freedom and responsibility, and faith that reflects Christ.

As educators, and foremost believers, we have a responsibility to bring truths about their designed purpose into revelation. “The education process must again provide the opportunity for students to make choices and live with the consequences of those choices” (Graham, p. 81). Though we cannot talk about faith in public schools, we can challenge them to reflect on their belief systems. We are to have them consider if the structure that is their belief system is built on a foundation that is reflective of truth and reality.

Relationally, we too ought to reflect the image of God, as it “is an expression of the communication and fellowship within the Trinity” (Graham, p. 85). Our relationship, or fellowship with students, should be reflective of God’s relationship with us. We should be loving, caring, protective, nourishing, faithful, sacrificial, merciful, amidst others things that should be embodied in our relationship with our students just as God is for with us.

In John 13:34-35 it says, “a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” For us to live our life that exemplifies a reflection of Christ in all that we do, we must become true thinkers, people that make decisions that are rooted from their intended purpose.

Part of it is that we must realize that we are sinful and as a result try to distort reality to suit our comforts. Therefore, we must “seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” (Psalms 105:4). We have to look at our intended design, but we have to also take into account of where we are at in life, the fallen world that sin has dragged us into. 

Despite our flaws God has given his grace and redeemed us, but the reality that we must acknowledge is that not everyone will be saved. This is hard to swallow, for “teachers will quickly face the problem of how to teach a class that may well contain such a mixture of students” (Graham, p. 102). As a teacher and a Christian I will encounter hundreds of students in my job, which I will aspire to mirror the love of God with each one; but I have to come to recognize that despite all the time and energy that I pour into the students it is only by grace will their life be transformed. I need to be reminded every day I just need to go out and be who I was made to be, and leave the results to God.

References

Graham, D. L. (2003). Teaching redemptively, bringing grace and truth into your classroom. Colorado Springs, CO: Purposeful Design Publications

Just a thought on God

In the past few weeks during our Epic meeting we've been going through a video series called Basic by Francis Chan. It is broken into three video topics: Fear of God, Following Jesus, and Holy Spirit. While the topic of all three of them are important to Christian living, the first topic really stood out for me. In Proverbs 111:10 it says "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom". The reality is that we really should fear God if we with our limited minds try to grasp who God is in all his glory and power. There is no way to measure how great he is, except by stating that he is infinitely greater. Because of his divine nature it only makes sense that we should be fear him, be afraid and tremble in his presence.

Imagine sitting in a room by yourself and all suddenly a pride of untamed lions walked into the same room. How would you react? You may be like me who probably would freeze up in terror in the split second that it would take for the pride to consume me. Now try to imagine an infinite God, who's wrath we deserve and it's only a matter of time before it comes on us for our transgressions, our sins.

But here is the amazing thing. Even though we should be afraid of who God is by his divine nature, but through his characteristics he tells us to "Fear not" (Rev.1:17 ESV). We have this awesome God who cares and loves for us. Not only did he come and took the suffering for us, but he also called us to follow Him. But until we can arrive at the point where we do fear God, we limit who he is in our minds and hearts, and also limiting the power that is given to us through the Holy Spirit.

Too excited to sleep!

It's 3:50am right now, so I apologies if my grammar is off or somethings aren't completely thought out. I couldn't sleep so I decided to get online to blog why I can't sleep.

Earlier in the evening today (friday 4/15), I met up with one of my students' roommate (his English name is Bob) who just came over from China as an international student. Sometime during the conversation over dinner I asked Bob if he had any religious beliefs or spiritual backgrounds. He responded by sharing that he doesn't believe in God, viewing it as something that mankind has internalized and made up. Rather, he believed in science. Later on during the conversation I popped a question towards him; I asked him "if you had the opportunity to know that God existed and that you could know God would you want to?"

I can't quite remember the exact words that he used, but his response can be summed up in the word yes with much eagerness to take this opportunity. We ended up setting a time to meet at 11am today (4/16), to talk about who this God of the Bible is.

I'm praying that God will use this relationship that is being established to speak truth into Bob's life and make Himself known to Bob through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you are reading this before 11am, please join me in prayer that when I meet with Bob God will speak through the wisdom of the Holy Spirit into his life. Also if you are reading this afterwards, continue to pray that Bob will continue to have a hunger to want to seek and experience the joy of knowing our Lord and Savior.

**UPDATED 5/2/2012
That Saturday morning I met with Bob at a restaurant on the Ave to continue where we left off night before. I broke down the gospel with him; sharing with him about God's plan, the fall and the consequence of sin, the sacrifice of Christ for us, and restoration by faith through grace. Throughout our conversation he was in awe and amazement. Until this experience, it has always been slightly difficult for me to try to visualize the reaction of people astonished when Jesus or the disciples spoke or did miracles. After sharing I asked him, "what do you think of all of this?" Bob responded, "If this is all true, everyone has to believe." Before we departed ways, I gave him a simple paperback New Testament Bible and asked him to read the book of John and Romans.

When I met with him the following week, he told me that he has spent hours each night reading, though the majority of the time he was constantly flipping back and forth between his translator for definitions of words he did not understand. I then got a Chinese/English Bible and gave it to him. He was so thrilled about it! I remember also that day he shared with me that he also had been praying, and that lately he was having much peace. When hearing that, it was undeniable that God was working in his life.

I continued meeting up with him several times over the next couple of weeks breaking down the gospel even further. I went deeper into explaining the trinity, understanding the grace of God, living sacrificially, and other stuff. During this second week Bob spoke to me in a very subtle voice, "I believe". Even though this was something that I was hoping and been praying for, I was still very shocked. My natural response was to ask, "are you sure?" I wanted to dig deeper to see if he really understood the gospel. He shared with me the gospel as he understood it and it left me dumbfounded. In two weeks he was able to grasp the core message of the gospel and was capable of articulating it back to me; something that I've seen many Christians spend years in trying to understanding, myself included.

In the fall before I moved back to Portland I met up with Bob for one last time. We went to dinner at the same place as that one Saturday morning. We caught up and he shared with me all that he had been learning. He moved into a new place and got new roommates, and he told me how great it has been with some of them being believers and having the opportunity to go in the Word with them. As we walked back to his place I said to me, "before knowing God all I had was school and did not have time for anything else. Now that I know him, I feel at peace and I have so much more time to get to know God and people."

This experience has hit me in many folds. Not only do I have an amazing new friendship and another brother in Christ, but this has propelled me like I have never before in trusting in God to deliver. Although it was not the first time that I've seen God work nor the last, I was left astonished as if I had experienced God for the first time.

Understanding Relationships Through Grace

Over the past few weeks we have been going through a series dealing with relationships during our weekly Epic meeting at UW. We have been discovering as a group what it means to be in relationship with God, with people, and how it all intertwines with one another. One thing that I love about having that opportunity to teach and lead others, you are probably the biggest beneficiary from the content that you are preparing.

One thing that has come up often as we have gone through our series is the realization of how much grace is and always should be our foundational building block of all relationships.

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace. Romans 11:6

As believers the realization that we are saved through grace truly brings the word freedom that we share in Christ into perspective. When we are able to understand and fully embrace God's grace it allows us to truly appreciate the joy of knowing the love that comes from God.

A love so great, so vast, limitless that we ought to share with one another. But if Christ is now in us through grace, does that too mean we too ought to shine this grace onto others who have yet to experience this freedom? It is a question that I continue to explore and seek how it would look like to share God's grace with other people, believers and nonbelievers alike. One thing that I try to do as I continue throughout my day is approach others in a way that would reflect God's grace.

Granted we are human and are in a spiritual struggle between our flesh, the world, and the devil, I find myself continuously needing to remind myself of God's love by asking what does it mean to fully embrace this grace given to us so that the joy that we share in Christ can be complete in fullness.

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:8-11

Tommy Dyo (Executive Epic Director) - Crossing the Threshold

Robitussin!

In preparation for the winter and spring... I bought two boxes of Rubitussin at Albertsons earlier in the night. I was just walking through the store on my way to the checkout stand, and there it was... a cart full of Rubitussin drugs on sale for $3 a box (regular price $10.99). It was a bargain, I got two boxes even though I'm not sick. I got a few colds last year in Eugene, so just taking it as precautionary... Thinking of going back again to grab some more if they got any.

On the side note, I'm starting up a Bible study for Epic on Tuesday at 5pm. I'm hoping to start up a few of them. Once I get this one up and going and have someone take over, I'm hoping to have someone else come in and lead so I can start up other stuff.