AuburnChick's Adventures

I don’t know about you, but when I attend church services on Sundays, one or two main points usually stick in my mind as I walk away.

Such was the morning.

My heart had been a little heavy.

If you’ve been reading my blog for very long, you know that I teach at a school that is geared primarily toward Muslim students.

You might also remember that I am a Christian.

For the most part, this has not been a big deal.  I teach English, and though we sometimes mention religion, we do not have deep discussions about it.

The challenge for me is making sure my beliefs and faith are demonstrated through my actions.

I cannot preach to my students, but I can show them God’s love.  I can show them that there are Christians who will not judge them.

I want so badly to share the Good News with them.  I long to tell them that I worship THE God who lives among His people today through the presence of the Holy Spirit.  I am forgiven, not by my works but through the redeeming blood of God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

The differences between my students’ religion and mine became even clearer this week when one of them paused while reading the song that she had selected to accompany the project we had just done in class.  Although the lyrics were only being read out, this student stopped at one point because she did not feel comfortable reading the next lines.

I later read those lyrics, and I realized that they spoke of Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross.

I understood her point, and I respected her.  Had I been in the same place, I would have done the same thing.  I remember a contestant on Survivor (several seasons ago) who refused to enter a Buddhist temple to pray with the other contestants.  She was the first person voted off.

I would have made the same decision.

So, when my pastor encouraged us to keep sharing our faith, whether it was by simply loving others or inviting them to church, or whatever, I sat up straighter.

All I can do is what I’ve been doing.  I can do that and pray.

Actions speak louder than words.  They can be the catalyst for questions that might lead to understanding.

We sang the song, “Jesus Paid It All,” and oh my word…it was a sermon all on its own.

Here are the beautiful words to this song:

I hear the Savior say
Thy strength indeed is small
Child of weakness watch and pray
Find in me thine all in all

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

Lord now indeed I find
Thy power and thine alone
Can change the lepers spots
And melt the heart of stone

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

It’s washed away! All my sin! And all my shame!

And when before the throne
I stand in him complete
Jesus died my soul to save
My lips shall still repeat

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

Oh praise the one who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead (x6)

Jesus paid it all
All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: Christianity |