Now for Sami’s Ramblings about Jesus:



This past weekend several of us went to Fairview United Methodist Church in Maryville, TN to share our Outreach ministry with them. I had the opportunity to speak along with Becky Tenpenny (our campus missionary) to a Sunday School class about our ministry here at Western. One of the things we talked about was how students’ needs have changed over the years. As a college student ten years ago, I remember having so much more free time than many of you have now. Today, so many of you are taking 18-21 hours of classes, have classes that demand much more from students than in when I was a student, have part-time jobs that you work close to 20 hours a week, and have more demands on your time because of other organizations that you need to be in because of your major or career goals. I guess this is preparation for life beyond college where things don’t get easier.



As I pondered these things I felt you needed to hear some good news. Hear these gracious words from scripture:



“Come unto me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” --Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30)



I know many of you are weary. You are so run down that your bodies (though they are young and strong) get so beat up on that they catch the flu and sickness, knocking you off your feet. I look at some of you sometimes, and the weariness is etched in your faces with dark circles cradling your eyes. And I only know the pressures you tell me about. I can’t even account for those other things you struggle with which you don’t mention, things that drain you of whatever classes and work didn’t siphon off. I just want you to know no matter what challenges, or obstacles, or impossible circumstances you are facing, there is good news.



With a simple invitation Jesus can come into the present moment of your life and begin re-engineering it so that you experience all of His promises. When He takes the time to make sure a promise makes it into scripture (especially the red word print!), you can be sure that He will stand by it and help you to stand upon it. Are you tired? Are you weary? Are your books—I mean burdens—too heavy? Jesus is offering you his peace this morning. Just come unto him. Take a moment to seek His face. Take a moment to read His scriptures. Take a moment to be still before Him and let Him speak to your hear. Rest is coming.



Now for the bad news (that’s not really bad news at all, it just asks something of us). We have to come ready to learn. Jesus says, “Learn from me.” If we come to him looking for help, yet with an obstinate attitude that is unwilling to let go of things that are harmful and unwilling to be obedient to the direction (spiritual medicine) he gives, then our coming to Him makes no difference. We leave more frustrated than when we came. It is like going to the doctor who give us a prescription, says “drink lots of fluids and get plenty of rest,” and instead of doing any of those things we continue on doing the very things that made us sick in the first place. And because our need for help is so critical, and our refusal to accept help so obstinate, we eventually find ourselves even worse than when we asked for help in the first place. Yeah, I know. Those of you who know me well are thinking, “This girl needs to listen to her own sermons.” Point taken. I spent my day with Jesus yesterday myself.



Anyway, know that you are loved. You are so precious in His sight. He would give his everything for you. In fact He already has, and He always does. Just be still and let Him love on you a little bit (okay, a lot).



You know you are all special to me too.



Blessings,



Sami