7:25 AM classes nonstop until 12:30 and babysitting from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM results in one very sleepy Meg. In the Spanish language the translation of “I’m tired” is only used to refer to being tired after a long run, and there’s only one way to properly express the feeling of “I need sleep.” I’m a month into school, and I need sleep. My goal of sleeping early and getting a full night’s sleep have plummeted leaving me even more reluctant to get up in the morning and more likely to fall asleep during class. I’m surviving off of naps, but at the same time my four hour naps aren’t the most productive use of my time. As the semester progresses, it is so essential for me to regain my rest.
Similarly, for chapel this week at school we are celebrating Renewal Week. Renewal Week is a time for us to be spiritually replenished. Our speaker has been going through the book of Mark, and I’ll admit that I’m not exactly sure what the focus of his sermons are. But he’s an incredible and lively speaker, and I’ve enjoyed the ideas he’s brought up for my reflection and thinking.
We started off Monday by discussing how Jesus calls his disciples to take their crosses and follow him. Wednesday the pastor spoke on a story where Jesus had to touch a man twice to fix his eyes and make him see. That same night during service we listened to a story where in a very dark place, Jesus comes and restores the impure spirits that filled a man. Then to finish our week, Pastor Daniels reminded us that it is Him. It is Him, Jesus of Nazareth son of God who walks on water who heals the untouchable who dies on the cross for our sins, it is Him. For at the moment Jesus was being taken away by the soldiers there was a disciple with only his linen garment who ran away leaving his clothing and making him naked. Then later in Mark when Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James, and Salome went to visit the tomb they had discovered the rock was moved and inside was a man clothed in a white robe sitting at the ride side. In many ways, this is us. We start off our journey naked, running from Christ but when we realize that it is Him who will save us then we become clothed in white sitting at the right side of Jesus.
So often I look at the gospels of the story of Jesus’ crucifixion, but it’s so much more than that. Jesus was a healer sent by God to fulfill his purpose to die on the cross for my sins. He performed miracles and lived everyday glorifying the kingdom of God. After learning a little bit more about Jesus, I want to be like him. I want to help those in need, I want to be kind and gracious in all that I do, and I want to live life the way Jesus would. Renewal week taught me more about Jesus, and the wonderful things He did for my life.