Vulnerability and the Mission of God
This summer one of our Rockport staff members, Kevin, wrote an awesome devo based on John 11:33-36.
"When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
"When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
Kevin writes:
“It’s ok to feel and it's ok to be vulnerable. One of the things that I have struggled with in my walk with God is being vulnerable. Most of my life has been filled with disappointment and being let down by the people I care about most. This life is full of disappointments and sometimes we don’t know how to handle it. We bottle up the emotions and bury them deep down inside.
We sometimes feel like showing our emotions makes us weak. We think that people will view us differently or make fun of us. One thing I also have realized is why does it matter what people on this earth think about us? Heaven is the ultimate goal. John 11:33-35 holds so much power to this because it shows Jesus crying. Jesus who was the perfect being wasn’t afraid to show his emotions. So through this summer and life, I want to encourage us to feel the way Jesus did. Righteously willing to be used by God.”
During a student's time in youth ministry, they will experience high, highs and low, lows. Feeling excitement and joy, frustration and tiredness, loneliness and isolation, anger and heartache. It is a calling and privilege to intersect with these students as they experience life. We are able to meet them right where they are with the truth of the Gospel.
Teen mission trips can be filled with these same emotions, and it can seem overwhelming. Our God is so faithful that He would show us through His Son the power and witness of vulnerability. Just like Kevin wrote, we see in John 11 evidence of a God who loves so deeply He is moved to tears - and these tears stand as evidence to onlookers as a deep love and affection. As we encounter students during their vulnerability, we are able to point to Jesus who wept, who felt joy, who lived the life we couldn’t. We get to listen well and remind them of the deep love their Father has for them. What an honor to be trusted with our students’ most difficult and exciting moments!
Teen mission trips can be filled with these same emotions, and it can seem overwhelming. Our God is so faithful that He would show us through His Son the power and witness of vulnerability. Just like Kevin wrote, we see in John 11 evidence of a God who loves so deeply He is moved to tears - and these tears stand as evidence to onlookers as a deep love and affection. As we encounter students during their vulnerability, we are able to point to Jesus who wept, who felt joy, who lived the life we couldn’t. We get to listen well and remind them of the deep love their Father has for them. What an honor to be trusted with our students’ most difficult and exciting moments!