It seems fitting that on the eve of my college graduation, I opened my Bible to 1 Samuel 3, the calling of Samuel. In this chapter, the Lord calls Samuel as a prophet. The Lord calls him three times,each call increasing in intensity; but Samuel thinks it is only his foster father Eli who is calling. Finally the elderly Eli perceives who is calling, and Samuel receives his first communication from the Lord.
As I was reading this chapter, I thought about my own life. I connected with young Samuel when I thought of my own calling. We are all "called" (rather, commanded)to do missions, but my specific call from the Lord is to use my degree and gift of teaching children overseas where the gospel and love of Christ is needed. Just like Samuel, I heard God call but ran to other things, thinking they were calling out to me. Finally, just last year, I embraced this call coming from the Lord and telling me to take my life somewhere else.
Of course telling the family and friends hasn't been easy. In this same chapter in 1 Samuel, Samuel had to tell Eli what God told him: that his house will be punished for their iniquities. But Eli accepted it humbly saying, "It is the Lord. Let him do what seems good to him" (v. 18). I pray every day that my parents, family, and friends say the same thing when I finally make plans to move overseas. I know it is not their first choice, but it is the Lord's; it is what seems good to Him.
So,to say all this, I am reflecting on the eve of my college graduation on the four years I have spent at UNA. I went from wanting to move back to Huntsville, to teaching in Mississippi, to staying in North Alabama, to moving overseas, to teaching in New Orleans, and now I am set on moving to Asia. I aspire to make not only my family and university proud tomorrow, but my Lord. I hope as I walk across the stage, my parents are thinking how proud they are of me and how wonderful it has been to see me grow; but I also hope that God looks down and says "I'm not finished with you yet." I can't wait to see what else the Lord has in store for me!
Congrats to the UNA class of 2011 and the graduates all over the world! We did it!
Thailand is just over a week away!
In Christ,
Christine ><>
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