I am officially "old" at the graduate thing now. No longer am I supposed to be the one with all of the questions. The new students who are bold (or maybe humble?) enough to ask look to me for answers. There is an element of relief contained in the fact that I am past the transitional stage, and that I am currently 8 months away from graduation. But I also have been confronted with my calling as a believer here at JMU. "You are the light of the world....Let your light so shine" (Matt. 5:14, 16).
But I thought Christ was the Light--"I am the Light of the world" (Jn. 8:12). How can a sinful creature produce something equal to the pure Light of God? It can't.
I am not called to be a light producer; my calling, and the calling of every other believer, I might add, is to be a light bearer. Christ in us--the Light shines. Nothing I do creates light. Only as I interact with the Light will it carry through to light up the darkness around me. My responsibility then becomes a removal of any inner obstacle that dims or diffuses the light from its intended strength and purpose.
Praise God for using imperfect vessels, yet ones that He has redeemed and called His Own! I am excited about the opportunities to transfer the Light this semester. Whether facilitating a weekly Bible study for musicians, accompanying at church, or simply interacting with other graduates, students, and teachers, God has made me aware and eager to make the most of my time here.
My first week went well. Between classes, research, recital preparation, accompanying, office work, and teaching, my schedule is full, but not overloaded. I am teaching a class of 16 the beginnings of piano keyboard skills. The planning requires creative thought and careful consideration, but the product is rewarding--at least for me, and hopefully for the students as well!
I will make a point to keep my readers informed of God's work this semester. Recounting His greatness deserves to be shared. And I value your prayers highly, knowing that the battle is not against flesh and blood.
Others Have Said It Better
- "Yet the duties God requires of us are not in proportion to the strength we possess in ourselves. Rather, they are proportional to the resources available to us in Christ. We do not have the ability in ourselves to accomplish the least of God's tasks. This is the law of grace. When we recognize it is impossible for us to perform a duty in our own strength, we will discover the secret of its accomplishment. But alas, this is a secret we often fail to discover." -John Owen
- "Forgiveness is the most God-like thing you can do." -J. MacArthur
The Progression of Wisdom
Proverbs 2:1-9 offers a progression of wisdom that gives clarity to the abridged "seek and you shall find" mentality. Solomon instructs his son to receive my words. . . treasure my commands. . . incline your ear to wisdom. . . apply your heart to understanding. . . cry out for discernment. . . lift up your voice for understanding. . . seek her as silver. . . search for her as for hidden treasures. We would expect the next verse to read something to the effect of "Then you will find wisdom." But that's not what follows. He writes, Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. This understanding serves as a necessary prerequisite to obtaining wisdom. Without intimate knowledge of God, the pursuit of "wisdom" is a false and godless effort.
But once the seeker gains knowledge and understanding of God, wisdom inevitably follows. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly. He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints. These gifts flow from the One we come to know. And the progression concludes with verse 9: Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path.
I seek--God illumines--God gives--I understand.
But once the seeker gains knowledge and understanding of God, wisdom inevitably follows. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly. He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints. These gifts flow from the One we come to know. And the progression concludes with verse 9: Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path.
I seek--God illumines--God gives--I understand.
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About Me
- an30na
- I am a college graduate with a bachelors in Piano Pedagogy from Northland Baptist Bible College, and am nearly half way through my MM in Piano Performance at JMU. I love to accompany and to serve and honor the Lord through opportunities to play. I love "awakening the dawn" to see the sunrise, running, especially hills, and am almost always up for a good mental challenge.
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