teach us to pray...

The Peruvian flag on display during the 2011 missions conference at Cedarville. 

    It's that time of year again.  At Cedarville, the beginning of spring semester means snow and ice and seniors counting the days until graduation (there are 116, by the way), but it also means missions conference.  This is now the fourth time I've sat through these three days of chapels and seminars all geared toward teaching us about and motivating us toward missions, both as goers and as senders. But this time it's different. As I listen to each speaker, I feel different. I'm no longer on the outside looking in at the missionaries. I am one. I've joined the club, so to speak, and all of the sudden, every little thing they say seems to have a direct impact on my life.
    When I walked into the chapel this morning for our first session, the first thing I saw was the Peruvian flag hanging on the wall across from me, and honestly, I got really emotional.  Not in a sappy, teary sort of way, but in a proud, "That's my country!!" sort of way.  (I also noticed that it was hanging right next to the Jamaican flag, which I found slightly ironic because my cousin, Kathleen, just returned from serving for over a year at Robin's Nest Children's Home in Montego Bay, Jamaica.)  After such a great first day, I'm really looking forward to hearing from the rest of the speakers, especially our good friend, Dave Drullinger, who serves with ABWE in South Africa.
   A few thoughts from tonight's speaker, John Barnett, that helped me to translate The Lord's Prayer into my everyday life - He said when we pray as Jesus taught us to pray, we are really asking Him:
           Focus me on who You are ("Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name...")
           Control me because You have a plan for my life and Lead me so I can follow Your path ("Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven...")
           Supply my need so that I can see Your hand in my life ("Give us this day our daily bread...")
           Cleanse me so that I can feel Your blessing on my life ("Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us...")
           Protect me so that I don't lose Your power in my life ("Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil...")
           Empty me so that You get all the credit for my life ("For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.")
    Dr. Brown reminded us at the end that the disciples never asked Jesus, "Lord, teach us how to plant churches" or "Teach us to preach" or "Teach us how to teach in Lima, Peru".  They only said, "Teach us to pray."