Monday, February 13, 2012

Climbing for the Glory of God

Phew, it's been a while since I've updated this blog. And so much has happened. A sufficient highlight would be "God is good!" Or, as Psalms 117 puts it, "For great is his love towards us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever".

Over that last several months I have seen non believers become new believers. I experienced God's protection walking away from rolling a Jeep 1.5 times totaling it in the process. I participated in a 1,300 student flash-mob doing the "Tebow". Then we initiated spiritual conversations with people in downtown Denver. I got to see my girlfriend lead a high school girl to Christ. I got to help, encourage, and follow one of my brothers in Christ start a deep devotion to prayer for revival on our college campus, our generation, and for all of the world. We will share stories from this semester for all of eternity.

"... do it all for the glory of God."

God has been teaching me through tangible examples of what 1 Corinthians 10:31 means. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." I like how a friend of mine put it, "If we are called to glorify God when we're eating a sandwich, how much more should we glorify God in our relationships!" The same can be said for anything that we do, especially the things we do often.

A growing passion in my life has been rock climbing. I love it all, scrambling on a boulder low to the ground with a crash pad or ascending large cliffs overlooking beautiful Colorado. But what does it look like glorify God in a harness?

One cool story: My roommate and I have been training in the indoor climbing wall many days of the week. Fort Lewis college students are so down to earth and climbers are exponentially more welcoming. All to be said that we have been easily building relationships with the local climbing community (an area I have been trusting God to grow). We met "Tom". We transitioned small talk and route "betas" into friendship and invites to our events. "Be wise how you act among non-believers, making the most of every opportunity" Colossians 4:5. Last Thursday, Dakota, my roommate, invited Tom to eat dinner with us and several other college students. The cool part of the story is that one of our brothers in Christ, Joseph, has been praying for Tom and inviting him as well! In fact, minutes after Dakota's invite, Joseph unknowingly chased down Tom to invite him to dinner."Well since I've been invited twice in five minutes, I guess I should go". The rest of the story involves deeper friendship, getting contact info, and exposing Tom to the gospel. Pray for Tom that he comes to know Jesus Christ as Savior if he hasn't already done so and that we would be faithful to the opportunity to guide him to the Truth.

A day or two later, we went climbing and invited several students that are "new" to the group. It is essential in ministry and proved true through my own life that newcomers need to feel welcomed and loved by other Christians. How cool? We can use climbing as outreach and as strengthening relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ!

I pray to keep learning how to glorify God in all I do. I know that God has put me in Durango, Colorado, one of the best climbing areas in America, so that using the Holy Spirit through me, people would seek God, perhaps reach out to Him and find life in Jesus (Acts 17:27).

I encourage you to do the same. Use you passions and desires to glorify God. Build relationships, share the gospel, and strengthen those around you.

Please pray for me Paul's prayer in Ephesians 6:19 "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be give me so that I will fearlessly make know the mystery of the gospel."



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