My Last Supper
I am coming to the end of my trip, reflection and anticipation and flight arrangements filling my head. Now, as at the beginning, I am forced to ask the question: how does one sum up a year of experience? I would look at it as a time of tremendous spiritual training and growth; a time in which God has begun to penetrate my heart and the roots of an authentic, intimate relationship with my Creator have begun to deepen.

Jesus has been my guide through this wilderness; my strong foundation, enabling me to stand on firm spiritual ground in a turbulent environment. I have found that Christ is brilliant, creative, challenging, fearless and ultimately satisfying; that he is compassionate, unpredictable, exhilarating and longs to radically transform my life.

I once looked at Christ, more or less, the way I initially looked at Mambo when I came down: boring, repetitive and over-played. But I do so no more. Slowly but surely, the mysterious and beautiful groove started to grow on me. First, I began tapping my feet- almost involuntarily. I guess this isn’t so bad after all. Pretty soon, I was in the mix, dancing and enjoying it all. This is pretty awesome; I wish I had known about it earlier. Now, I am in a new place of embrace, singing along and discovering new songs all the time.

Last Sunday I was blessed to share in a meaningful conversation and a delicious Taiwanese meal. Over dumplings, Rod, Tracy, Darin and I discussed the future. I sat back and enjoyed the green tea and air conditioning while Rod made some quick calls and arranged a trip to Tunisia in the fall. After enduring about thirty minutes of easy listening music and wrestling to pronounce his destination (he eventually had to spell it out), Rod turned to me and asked: “So what do you think you will do after four years of university?”

I had to pause and consider the whole four years thing...honestly, who knows? If you had asked me about my prospects four years ago, there is absolutely no way I would have guessed working voluntarily with a Christian Ministry in the Dominican Republic, living with a native family in one of the poorest slums in the country; speaking Spanish and eating rice and beans and shaving my head at a 70 peso barber shop- without Barbicide (who knows what kind of fun guys head in to get a cheap clip? Avoiding hongos has been a pleasant surprise).

I know that even in the last six months my motives for university have shifted considerably. Paul’s exhortations in Colossians have been bouncing around in my head at night: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly… Maybe I will encounter Shalom-reflective community at Trinity- maybe not. Perhaps I will meet a woman and fall in love- perhaps not. Hopefully I can get the President’s Scholarship to help pay for my education. Hopefully I can get off the waitlist for Art 181: Fundamenals of Design. Hopefully my roommate is tolerable. Yet I will not allow my hope to rest in any of these things, for any one of them could fade away in an instant. Knowing the context and original Greek of first Corinthians is only beneficial as it intensifies my connection to God.

I was encouraged and also challenged by the words Rod left me with as I exited his jeep that night: “I just want you to know that I’m proud of you. You’re going to tear it up man; you’ll be like the next C.S. Lewis or something. Just don’t forget about us, alright?”

“Who could?” I responded. I treasure this year, with all the perspectives and relationships and lessons I can draw on; I have gained so much. It has been utterly crucial and worthwhile. In the end, I am brought to contemplate one key truth. If the words of the Director of TEARS can bring me to emotional heights, what happens when the perfect, flawless words of my Savior begin to reverberate across the surface of my spirit? Shall I be skyrocketed to the moon? I have only heard the echoes, I have only felt the breeze rush past- a glimpse of glory. The mere whispers of Yahweh have been enough to divert my desire and capture my heart and thus draw me toward a path of devotion, discipleship, authority and obedience; the adventure has just begun.