'Twas the Night Before...

by - May 11, 2012

It's AP Exam day, your first one, too, with another next week. As a Junior. Last night you were at church in prayer rather than cramming with a study group. Although we, your parents, helped make the decision about where you would be and what you would spend your "night before" doing, I think we made the right decision, partly because it was the hard decision. 

You had two choices: 1 – pray or 2 – study the night before an exam that proves a full year of school work and could be worth college credit. You've studied for nine months and it all culminates in this exam. Conventional wisdom says study, so, somehow, in God's economy, I think choosing prayer was right.

It was beyond your control that our church's annual week of prayer collided with your AP Exam on the calendar.  All you can do at that point is choose: pursue God, His body, and the Christian disciplines or seek educational success and early college credit. When the hard decisions fall on the side of spiritual growth and eternity rather than education, career and the earthly, I think we got it right, Adrian.

We exist to serve His purposes. It behooves us to know—and remember in the crutial, inconvenient times—what we are to be about. Life's crossroads often hold difficult choices, decisions that will bear on our future, both earthly and eternal. This won't be your last test in life, Adrian. There will be many. The best way to prepare for those tests and to make the choice that best serves your future purpose is to focus on your God and not the task or dilemma at hand.

You're in good company, son. Jesus spent his "night befores" praying, too. A full night of sleepless prayer before choosing 12 men who were to change the world when He was gone (Luke 6:12-13). The night before his big decision, Jesus wasn't studying resumes; He was consulting his Father. Before the agony of the cross? A late night alone in a garden. Perhaps there's no better way to prepare for life's challenges. And we don't even have to wonder what Jesus would do. We just have to be brave enough to chose his way.

The Kingdom of Christ and devoting yourself to it will make you victorious, whether you pass the A PUSH Exam today or not. But I do hope you are giving that exam your all right now to the glory of God, and that you pass it.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you(Matthew 6:33). You are living it out loud.

So very proud of you,
Mom



Linking with Gail at Bible Love Notes today.


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9 comments

  1. “You get one pass at life. That’s all. Only one. And the lasting measure of that life is Jesus Christ.” ― John Piper, Don't Waste Your Life

    “I will not waste my life! I will finish my course and finish it well. I will display the Gospel of the grace of God in all I do. I will run my race to the end.” - The Apostle Paul” (paraphrased)

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  2. Amazing perspective and amazing parenting! More of us could use these reminders- especially me! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Alicia, I'm learning that living this verse, like so many others, looks easy at the surface, but can be a real test of our devotion and commitment to the Lord. I don't always get it right.

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  3. Such a sweet post, Dawn. You must be very proud. Well put. Thanks for sharing on Bless and Be Blessed.

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  4. Dawn - my darling niece -you are one incredible lady, wife, mother and human being. I am so proud of you (and of course, Mike also) for the guidance that you are giving Adrian. I am also very proud of Adrian for his perspective and outlook on life. A hard decision? You betcha! But no one said that life is easy - and we all know that the older we get, the more difficult it can become if we do not keep the proper perspective and outlook. Give Adian a big hug and kiss from Auntie Donna please. And let me know the outcome of the testing. I just subscribed to your blog.......what a GREAT idea!!

    Love you all to pieces,

    Auntie Donna

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  5. What a brave decision and a confident one. Confident in himself and confident in God, knowing where to turn to. Thank you for sharing this with us. So often we hear how young folk make the wrong decisions. Yet if we stand and just pause we can learn so much from them. Bless you and your family..

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  6. Its nail biting time with these kids and their tests!

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  7. Its nail biting time with these kids and their tests!

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