I have spent my whole summer with Christians- growing and learning more about Jesus, and now, I'm ten days away from moving to Uganda to serve God in the form of changing diapers and holding babies. In the bible, it says that when we follow God, we will be persecuted. People will questions us and try to drag us down because they don't understand this God we serve. I've definitely experienced that in the past few months. People have tried to stop me from following God... people I love have told me I'm taking "this Jesus-thing overboard."
Persecution? Check. I've tried to explain to them... to tell them why I would give up my life- university, a career, a stable living- for God. And I've realized that I'll never have the proper words to explain to them why I serve God. His goodness is too great, His holiness so beyond measure to ever put into words. And since I don't have words I'll let the Word of God speak for me.
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth... And God said let there be light and there was light."
This is the God I serve.
"So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them."
This is the God I serve.
"And on that very day the LORD brought the Isrealites out of Egypt.
Then Moses stretched his hand over the sea, and all that night The LORD drove the sea back with a strong East wind and turned it into dry land."
This is the God I serve.
"A covenant for all generations to come. I have set my rainbow in the clouds and it will be the sign of a covenant between me and the earth. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life."
This is the God I serve.
"Now The LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and The LORD did for Sarah what He had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him."
This is the God I serve.
"In my distress I called to the LORD and He answered me.
When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate."
This is the God I serve.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.
If God is for us then who can be against us?"
This is the God I serve.
"For from him and through him and for him are all things.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength."
This is the God I serve.
"God is faithful. He has given us victory through our LORD Jesus Christ.
God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus."
This is the God I serve.
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.
Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering for he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressions."
This is the God I serve.
"For in him all things were created: Things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
In Jesus we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace he lavished on us."
This is the God I serve.
"At the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the father."
This is the God I serve.
Get it?
Persecution? Check. I've tried to explain to them... to tell them why I would give up my life- university, a career, a stable living- for God. And I've realized that I'll never have the proper words to explain to them why I serve God. His goodness is too great, His holiness so beyond measure to ever put into words. And since I don't have words I'll let the Word of God speak for me.
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth... And God said let there be light and there was light."
This is the God I serve.
"So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them."
This is the God I serve.
"And on that very day the LORD brought the Isrealites out of Egypt.
Then Moses stretched his hand over the sea, and all that night The LORD drove the sea back with a strong East wind and turned it into dry land."
This is the God I serve.
"A covenant for all generations to come. I have set my rainbow in the clouds and it will be the sign of a covenant between me and the earth. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life."
This is the God I serve.
"Now The LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and The LORD did for Sarah what He had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him."
This is the God I serve.
"In my distress I called to the LORD and He answered me.
When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate."
This is the God I serve.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.
If God is for us then who can be against us?"
This is the God I serve.
"For from him and through him and for him are all things.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength."
This is the God I serve.
"God is faithful. He has given us victory through our LORD Jesus Christ.
God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus."
This is the God I serve.
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.
Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering for he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressions."
This is the God I serve.
"For in him all things were created: Things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
In Jesus we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace he lavished on us."
This is the God I serve.
"At the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the father."
This is the God I serve.
Get it?