Summertime has come to an end, and it is time for all the kids to head back to school once again. For many of them, this is an exciting time of getting to reconnect with their friends that they may not have seen over the summer break. For others, it is a time of trepidation as they worry about will they get lost in their new school, will their teachers be as nice as the ones they had last year, and the dreaded “Will I forget my combination to my locker now that I am a middle school student.” Well, at least the last one was the one that had my son’s attention as the days drew near to begin school again.
AtkinsIt seems that whenever we enter into a new season in our life, like going back to school, there are always mixed emotions. The Christian life is no different at times. We feel as though God is leading us in a new direction, and we begin to allow our emotions to run the gamut. We sense that there may be a need for us to make a change in our life and we become excited over what the end result will be, but we ponder what it will take to get to that point, and then we speculate as to whether or not it will really be worth it in the end.
When it comes to our spiritual growth, we should, daily, have the willingness to go “back to school.” Not that we have to go back to a university or seminary so that we can have pieces of paper on our office walls showing we have more degrees than a thermometer on a summer day in Columbia. But we should, daily, be going “back to school” by taking time to open up the Book, which is the inerrant, inspired, infallible Word of God, and allow it to teach us about who we are and who God is. If we are not careful, we will allow all of those pieces of paper on the wall and the ring we wear from our alma mater to become our justification to no longer go “back to school” daily to see what we might be able to learn.
At this point in my life, if God were to lead me to go “back to school” to pursue another degree, there would be a lot of soul-searching that would have to take place to get my heart and mind where it would need to be to undertake that challenge. But the daily call from Paul to young Timothy to “study to show thyself approved” is not something we have to do any soul-searching about.
It may have been a while since you opened up the Book and really sought to know God’s will for your life, but just like the new students, you have to be willing to get past the initial worry and pursue God with all your heart daily. If you desire to have Great Commission Living in your life, you are going to have to be willing to go “back to school” for the glory of God.
– Atkins is pastor of Powdersville First Baptist Church and president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention.