Wonderful!

“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? ….If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” – Psalm 139: 7, 11-12

“Isn’t it wonderful?” The chapel speaker’s enthusiasm was infectious as he moved from one side of the stage to the other. He was excited about the work in his country, passionate about reaching the lost, and beaming with the joy of the Lord. If we did not hear his words, we might completely miss that he was talking about our persecuted brothers and sisters.

As we interns prepare to leave VOM, I worry that I will lose the enthusiasm I’ve picked up from being around believers who as fervent about serving the Lord as the chapel speaker. If my enthusiasm is for ministry itself, grounded on people with and for whom I work, then yes, it will fade. People will disappoint me and forget me. I will fail them and forget them. The positive outlook on life that this internship has helped me develop will die when I am separated from the people I have met at VOM. That is, it will if I base my enthusiasm on them.

If, however, I base my focus, energy, and confidence on Jesus, my enthusiasm may wane, but it will never die, as Christ never dies. The hope of a living Savior dispels fear of losing the intimacy with Him and the passion for Him that He has blessed me with this summer. Although I will leave VOM, my Savior is always with me. Since the only proximity and interaction necessary to continue my enthusiasm for Jesus comes from Jesus Himself, I will never lose it so long as I cling to Him.

We interns will return to our colleges after a summer that surpassed our expectations and hopes. We’ll leave the VOM office, but we will continue to approach the throne of God. The nearer we come, the greater He becomes. The joy of knowing Him increases as He draws us closer. Firmly grounded in Jesus Christ, we take with us the stories of our persecuted brothers and sisters, awe-inspiring evidence of the Lord dwelling among His people, to share who our God, Creator, Sustainer, Savior, and Friend truly is: He is our hope and He is our love.

And isn’t He wonderful?

–Soli Deo Gloria: glory to God alone.

J.G. Spires is a college student studying English and Broadcast Media on the east coast. She grew up in a Christian family and came into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ while in middle school. Over the years, the Lord has developed in her a passion for His people and His Word. Her goal is to write for the edification of the Church and the evangelization of the lost. She loves being outside, writing fictional short stories and serving the Church.

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