There are so many great memories I have from college.... even though nursing school was crazy busy and slightly overwhelming with work, cheerleading, pre-med electives, and a social life. As with most seasons God always provides as least 1 person that can settle you from the craziness and bring life back to the central focus... Jesus. One of those awesome people for me in college was Lauren. We attempted to have weekly lunch dates in the campus Grill. It was our time to take down the fences and be completely real about stresses and friends and dreams. We spend many hours over burgers, wraps, and diet coke sharing about our testimonies and our classes and of course, our hopes for future husbands. Here we are now a few years later.... Me from VA, Lauren from Ohio, and us having met in TN... We are both married and living in the North East. For even a little more background.. It was Lauren who got me blogging in the first place. So on to our story...
One day while at lunch Diet Coke (which she & I both LOVE) got referred to as "fuel for life." It became our phrase. We would say it any time we saw each other with a cup, while getting it from the soda fountain, or when sipping on it in class. To this day, I very rarely get a Diet Coke that I don't think about Lauren & I saying "fuel for life."
While we joked that Diet Coke was our "fuel for life," if we're honest, we substitute a lot of things into our lives that take the place of Jesus - our true "fuel for life." Yes, I'm going there. He fuels our lives, which means he fuels our marriages, blogs, ministries, work ethic, attitude, desire to take action in serving others, and our online presence. He fuels all of us. As much as we often pretend - our spouses, praise from others, coffee, exercise, studying the Bible, food, etc. are not what fuels us. They simply can't. Jesus is the only one who fuels us because he bridged the gap we could never cover ourselves, he gives us new life through his death and in all of these things, he sustains us.
He bridged the gap we couldn't cover ourselves.
For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. - Romans 8:2-4
He gives us new life through his death.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. - 1 Peter 2: 24-25
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. - 2 Cor 5:17
In all things, He sustains us.
You know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. - Deut. 8:3
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. - John 15:4-5
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Did you experience that kind of community in college? What do you tend to replace Jesus as your "fuel for life" - coffee, friends, approval, your spouse, your parents, grades, success at work, etc?
Lauren and I teamed together to share this post with you! Be sure to go check out Lauren at her blog! She has all sorts of goodies over there from fashion to blogging to DIY and of course lots of Jesus!
SO SO thankful for you! When I read Paul talk about being "mutually encouraged" I ALWAYS think of you! You encouraged me and still do more than you know :)
ReplyDeleteYou're definitely right that Jesus IS the fuel for life. And what a blessing it is to have good friends in college. I met Angel on my first day of college, so I get to take one of my college buddies with me everywhere I go. :)
ReplyDeleteSo sweet Rachel! :)
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