Aloha from YWAM Kona once again. It turns out that Jesus has had a few surprises in store for me this first week back. First off, the box spring I slept on turned out to be an upside down mattress. I am moving from a dorm of 6 fellow staff to 8 or 9 next month. The 24/7 prayer and worship room on campus now has AC. There are about 5 times the amount of students on campus compared to the summer DTS... And, I was just reminded that Jesus would eat and drink with tax collectors and "sinners".
After just one week here in Kona, I have been so encouraged and refreshed by being around friends from the past summer and others here on base. However, Jesus also gave me a challenge I want to share. It is not a groundbreaking revelation, but a call to be more like Jesus.
I was in a small group of 6 people discussing Luke 5:27-32. Jesus calls Levi, a tax collector, to follow him. He then goes to a great banquet at Levi's house where many "sinners" ate with Jesus. The Pharisees and teachers around complained at this act of Jesus. Jesus responds "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:31-32
As we discussed, my heart was convicted about my plans for the next 3 months. I have been looking forward to running after God with my friends here on base the next 3 months before staffing Summer DTS again, but I have very little considered how I will effect the community here in Kona. It can be easy on a YWAM base to get comfortable, but Jesus put himself in the community around him, and loved those who seemed far from God. I still love community living and being around those who are running hard after God. I am just feeling the call to see the church multiplied around the community of Kona, and my hope is that it encourages any who read this, to get into the community around them.
Joy from JESUS! Picture is of the home base entrance
BIP
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