Ever since being part of Worldrace, I have been able to learn for myself what the vision is for us “racers”, which is Intimacy with God, Community, and Missional Living.
Intimacy with God. Those three words have been at the forefront of my thoughts every since I started the Worldrace- partly because it’s one of the core values of Adventures in Missions, so it must be important and partly because I knew I it was something I wanted.
As some of you may know, I’ve grown up in the church. Throughout my life, I have been encouraged to pursue the Lord- and I have pursued Him, but to a certain degree. I was always at Sunday church and was on the leadership team at our youth group; I was part of bible studies and prayer groups. I had felt God and worshiped him and talked about him, but it was always in group settings. And when it came down to just me and God… well, it rarely came down to that.
Before the race, I thought I had an understanding of God and the Bible. But when I was given the space to pursue God with no distractions, I found that I didn’t know Him deeply. I knew things about Him and I knew things about the Bible, but the extent of my understanding of God was more of how He made me feel rather than a knowledge and relationship with him.
During my first month of the Worldrace, I really struggled to find out what I believe about God and why I believe it. As I brought my concerns to our leadership, they encouraged me to pursue God and bring my questions to him. This was difficult for me, because I didn’t even know where to start. But here’s what I learned ever so quickly about God: if you look for him, you WILL find him.
[ “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8]
So I started trying the very thing that I avoided for so many years. Every morning I began sitting, and waiting on the Lord. And every morning, he has shown himself to me.
What changed? Well for starters, I began making the time and space for the Lord every day. Every morning, I sit by myself with no distractions and give my day to the Lord. I began reading the Bible every morning as well. But instead of skipping around randomly, I started over from the beginning. And what do you know, it actually makes sense! The Bible is actually coming to life for me. Honestly, if you would have asked me a year ago if I thought reading the Bible could be exciting, I probably would have said no…or lied and said yes. But the really cool thing about God is he changes your desires if you’re willing to let him.
I feel like it would be wrong to write this whole blog without making this unmistakably clear: Intimacy with God is arguably THE most important thing. In my personal opinion, as a Christian and missionary and servant for the Lord, nothing I do matters if I do not know the Lord personally and do not know his word. For how could I tell people about him and testify to the goodness of his word, if I do not know Him or the Bible for myself. I think it’s important to add that intimacy with God is a process. It doesn’t happen overnight. But here is the constant truth: God is pursuing all of us, all the time, no matter what. It’s up to us to decide whether to pursue him back. And I can assure you, if you seek Him, you will find him.
Blessings,
Paige
