A new semester is about to begin, and though I cherished the time at home with family and the regulars at work, I was very blessed to have a week here on campus more or less alone. I've been here for track practices for a week now, and have been using the time without stress to seek God and pray for the new semester.
Tomorrow I will be meeting with the other InterVarsity leaders to discuss plans for the semester. There are many changes: our usual staff worker will be on sabbatical so we will have an interim; we've lost the leadership of a valued friend and inspiration to graduation; we're looking for new leaders to mentor and train; and of course we're always looking for new members and ways to be known on campus.
One of the most valuable things I did to prepare myself for the new opportunities and challenges sure to arise, besides praying and spending time in Scripture, was read For Christ in the University, the history of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship-USA. I was very inspired by the early staff and students' continued willingness to listen to and move by the Holy Spirit's direction. John Alexander stressed the importance of prayer, "Unless IVCF kneels down, it will not go forward". This is where I believe Beloit's chapter is. It is not us who can open our fellow students' hearts to the lordship of Christ, but Christ Himself. What sense does it make to try to do the work of the Spirit without consulting our Lord?
I believe with all of my heart that God is at work here, and wants to see a campus transformed by the power of the Gospel. We need to be willing to stop, listen, and then follow. Not lead, but follow. For when we allow our "self" to be in control, we will live in the body of sin. But when we turn control over to Jesus,only then we can live and work in the body of Christ.
Father God, Thank You for the growth that we experienced last semester and for the relationships we began to build. I pray that we will seek You as our guide and follow the direction of the Holy Spirit. I ask that You open the hearts of every single person on this campus to know You, and to want to know You more. Let us be inspired by our predecessors in the early church and in the early fellowship. I am so excited to see what You're going to do here, in this semester and in all of the years to come. You are Lord of all. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act. Be silently before the Lord and wait expectantly before Him...Psalm 37:5, 7
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