A few weeks ago North Point Community Pastor, Andy Stanley, gave an independent sermon titled Wishful Thinking. In this he talks to the church about what he personally wishes for them in the context of their faith within the coming months or even years. I've found myself sharing this message with any of my friends and loved ones who will listen because personally I feel that the bullet points on Stanley's list are things that, as a christian, I hope that my loved ones and everyone else for that matter have the joy of experiencing during their time on this earth. I'll attach the link to the original sermon below but I wanted to share an adapted wish list of 3 things, based on this sermon, that I hope all college students get to experience this semester.
Andy explains that his hope is not for us to experience all of the things on his wish list but to experience those that are applicable to us. So here's my take on Andy's wish list for you. Take the pieces you feel you need and know you're not alone in your semester: each piece has been heavily prayed over.
1. I hope that during your semester you'll take part in a courageous act of obedience that that would cost you something. I know this sounds foolish, most people want to take college as a time to settle in to who they are; not make a decision that they know will be costly (even a positive one). But I want to encourage you that this decision isn't foolishness however, going to long without doing what the internal nudge of the holy spirit is telling you to do prevents you from becoming a deeper Christian. Andy Stanley explains depth as not information but as transformation that results from personal obedience to God. Depth is saying yes and not know where that yes leads. I encourage you this semester to be obedient to the Lord: obedient without guaranteed outcome. What makes you rich in faith is what you are experiencing. Jesus invites us to come and follow him. Dive deep this semester, after going in over your head is what forces you to look up.
2. I hope that this semester you have the thrill of knowing you were instrumental in someone's decision to follow Jesus. I don't have a huge explanation for this because I feel like ti's more something/someone that God puts on your heart rather than something that I can write about for you. Live by example and ask that God puts your in situations to be a witness for him this semester. I pray that you spend time in prayer to be a vessel for Jesus this year and that He uses you as an instrument to multiply His kingdom.
3.For those who aren't Christians yet: keep seeking keep asking and keep knocking. I hope that your semester includes people that God has placed around you on purpose to draw you nearer to Him. I hope it includes exploration and digging and questioning. You don't have to have all the answers to follow Jesus. You can follow before or until you believe. You can follow as you as you ask your questions. You can follow as you get your answers. All Jesus says is follow me. There's no conditions or prerequisites. Just an invitation. My hope for your semester is that you look into what it means to accept this invitation. My hope is that the Lord pulls at your heart and you experience Him for the first time.
So yeah, those are my hopes for all of you. My last hope of course is that you take the time to watch the full message by Andy because my adaptation will truly never do justice to the passion and prayers behind that.
http://northpoint.org/messages/wishful-thinking/
