Quotes To Consider:
“Things changed, people changed, and the world went rolling along right outside the window.” -Nicholas Sparks (Message in a Bottle)
“And that is how change happens. One gesture. One person. One moment at a time.”- Libba Bray (The Sweet Far Thing)
“For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answers has been ‘no’ for too many days in arrow, I know I need to change something.” -Steve Jobs
God awakened me on top of a mountain. It was the beginning of my sophomore year, as well as my second year participating in United Campus Ministry (UCM). Every year UCM goes to Knobby Mountain for their Twilight Retreat and this was my second time tagging along. As the van bumped up the gravel road, I could feel the anticipation rising as I wondered what this retreat would be like.
The mountain looked the same, yet the church group members were different, the time different, even the weather felt warmer than the year before. At the mountain’s peak, the tiny pavilion still overlooked the multi-colored trees and tiny cities below. I could still see the long green field that stretched towards areas of forest. The sun peered over the mountaintops; its heat so intense that I could feel perspiration on my face.
As the group dispersed across the field to explore, I walked towards the familiar stone path hidden behind high grass and hay bales. I hoped it would still be there, that no one had decided to move it. When I turned the corner, I could see that the pale blue bus still standing alone on the mountain and I felt myself smile. It looked pretty much the same. There were still cracks in the windshield that reminded me of water ripples, and the dashboard still held an old, plastic milk container. Grass had begun to grow in thick clumps around the bus’ swollen wheels, and rust, like scabs, surrounded the bus’ exterior. Chipped blue paint left the hood exposed and bare, and one of the headlights was missing. As I walked to the back of the bus, I noticed the brake lights were smashed in.
During my freshman year encounter of the mountain, the group was told to wonder around the mountain, to look for something in nature that related to God, and it was then that I wandered down the unnoticeable path with a few other group members. At the time, I kept asking them if we were supposed to be down there, only to get shrugs, and then I reluctantly followed the group.
I’m still not sure what it was about that abandoned bus, but it always intrigued me. It was so old and beaten down, even two years ago, yet I always imagined that there was some great story about how it got there. However as I stood in front of the bus the second time, I reflected upon how much I had changed since the first time I had come there. As a freshman, I had been timid, uninvolved, and easy to follow everyone else, therefore, my faith held similar characteristics. However, as I stared at the bus, I knew that I wasn’t the same person I was a year ago. I had become a more involved member and leader in United Campus Ministry, and my love for Christ had deepened. I had become more confident and trusting in others, as well as myself. Instead of being someone that strayed away from conversation, I found myself more eager to be a part of it.
Change has a way of sneaking up on us, altering parts of us that we didn’t think could be transformed, and sometimes this creates fear. This school year is a new beginning, yet worrying about new classes, professors, and assignments can wear us down if we expect the worse. This year is also a new opportunity to transform your faith and grow upon the love you already have for Christ. Although our lives are constantly changing, God will never change and will always remain constant.
Please open your Bible and read Numbers 23: 19, Hebrews 12: 18-29 and James 1:17. Take the time to mediate and pray about what God is revealing about Himself to You. Then, listen to Chris Tomlin’s “Unchanging” song below and think about what the lyrics mean (click the link or play).
Think about the changes this year may bring. Do you have any anxieties about what those changes may bring or mean for your life? If so, bring those fears to God and speak to Him. You can trust in God because He is unchanging and He will always accept you for who are you, changed or not. Please end in the prayer below, or in your own personal prayer.
Dear God, I thank You for always being my fortress and shelter when I need You. I pray for the changes that are happening now and in my future, and that through those times I remember to lean on You. Lord, You know my anxieties and my failures, yet You love me anyways. I pray that You change my heart so that I can better follow Your ways. Transform me so I can walk in Your light. In Your Heavenly name. Amen.
*Don’t forget to leave any comments about the devotion, change, or any experiences you would like to share with the group. Thank you!
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