When Life Comes Full Circle

Today I’m sitting in the lobby/student center at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary.  My son-in-law is a student here.  He’s 24 years old.  When I was his age, I was a seminary student at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tennessee.  Walking in this building today, I’m reminded my school days are done.  I not only finished that degree, but recently another graduate degree at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.  I’ve done what I believe the Lord wanted me to do.  I didn’t go to have titles added to my name, or letters at the end of it.  I did it to sharpen the axe and be the best equipped I can be for the ministry to which God has called me.  Ultimately I did it in obedience to the Lord’s plan for my life

Ironically, I teach now as an adjunct faculty at the college where that same son-in-law graduated in 2012.  I guess I’m on the other side of the table now – but I’m still learning, and I don’t ever want to stop.  I believe the day you stop learning is the day you start dying.  I say ‘no thank you’ to that idea.  On the table before me today are books to be studied for ministry today and for a message this weekend at Northside.  I enjoy places like this, and I find the academic community stimulating to my own thinking and creativity.

I’ve had a fantastic day.  I took my Michigan daughter to breakfast while her husband was at Hebrew class, later enjoyed some amazing time with my grandson, and then we had lunch with the whole family.  Tonight Kathy and our youngest daughter will watch Sully, while his Mom and Dad get a date night.  I slipped over to the school to get some work done in the next three and a half hours.  It’s time to study some more from Luke 15:8-10.

Easter is in the rear view mirror, but the hope of the resurrection is still right in front of us.  Every day is Easter and Hallelujah is our song.  My prayer this year is that what we celebrated at Northside last weekend will not be the ‘super bowl’ of Sundays – and now it’s over.  I pray – more than ever – in these strategic times in which we live – that last weekend will serve as a launching pad to the greatest days in the history of Northside.  I pray we see more people come to Christ than ever before, and that multitudes find hope in Him.  To that end, I can’t wait for the weekend!!!

I was trained for that more than 30 years ago.  It’s the same training my son-in-law is getting now.  The gospel is for every generation.  Praise God for the cross.   Praise God for the empty tomb.  The theme of Josh’s seminary is ‘Learning, Serving, Leading . . .for Ministry . . . for Life.’  Those words greet you on the wall when you walk in and I love them.  Pray for him.  Pray for me.  Pray for lives to be impacted in Michigan, New York and all over the world for the glory of God!