Let the Worshippers Arise

This week is Spiritual Emphasis Week (SEW) at RVA. That means that from last night (Tuesday night) through Sunday night, we will be having extra chapels at night, less homework, quizzes, and tests, and more focus on the spiritual health of the staff and students here. We have flown in guest speakers and worship leaders who are here to bring an outside breath of air and hopefully pump up our students a bit, and challenge them towards God a lot.

I wasn't able to make the meeting last night, but today in school I was able to witness passion in prayer from my students. My 7th graders did a research project on a European country to open our Europe unit, and they were asked to do presentations today that 1) shared the information and 2) shared ways we could be praying for the country, and then they led the class in prayers. I'll be honest - some of them were praying because that was the assignment. But there were a select few who stood up and beseeched the God of Creation to intervene and help these countries through difficult time and, most commonly, asked God to help spread His Gospel and protect and bless the missionaries working there. My 8th graders are starting a unit on Africa, so I printed out a few current event articles from throughout Africa and had them read through them and pray for them. This was especially incredible as many of these stories personally touched their hearts - maybe it's about the struggling tribe their family works with in Northern Kenya; maybe it's about the instability in Somaliland; maybe it's about the people killed in a big accident in Nigeria. Whatever it was, these students were touched and burdened and prayed with passion and honesty and faith. It was beautiful to see them like this. It was beautiful to see God softening their hearts and to see them reaching out to intercede for their country and their world.

And then tonight at chapel, I watched as my students - these kids that have already won my heart - lifted their hands high in worship, bent down at the altar, cried out to our God, and praised their Savior.

I know sometimes - especially at youth camps, rallys, etc. - emotions and peer pressures can drive kids to make commitments and say things that they don't end up following through on. I know sometimes it's just cool to get up and go to the altar so you can look all holy and godly and whatnot. But I pray - and I ask you to pray as well - that this week lives will truly be changed and these students will truly see how beautiful and important it is to live a life glorifying to God. I pray that they will learn how to follow after Him every day - that it won't be just the religion their parents chose or the religion of the school they attend or the religion of their friends, but that they will choose a life that imitates Christ, a heart that serves the world, and a love that saves lives.

After visiting the slums this week, I've realized again how incredibly important each life is. It's overwhelming to think about the whole world, and disappointing to think about the "impossibility" of changing the world. But changing one life is enough. Changing one life does make a difference. Giving $6.50 to one woman can not only bring her out of darkness, but her family as well, who might then go bring others out of darkness, and so on. Each one of these students' lives are precious and cherished by our God. Each one of them has mighty potential, because they have a mighty Creator. Pray that their lives are changed, that they might go fight for the Kingdom of God. Pray that they might know God's love and therefore go love.

Remind yourself that we each matter. That what we do matters. That how we live matters. Praise God, that we matter.