Well, it’s officially over. Today was the last day of the School of Ministry and I’m kind of in shock. I’m not sure I’ve ever spent time doing anything more fulfilling, rewarding, and meaningful than I have for these last 9 months of my life. I thought I’d be sad but excited. Tonight I’m just sad. I had the incredibly unique opportunity to spend four hours every day in focused study of God’s word, followed by three to four hours a day of additional reading, study and service. There will likely never be a time in my life again that will allow that kind of experience, and that’s hard to come to terms with.
It occurred to me today how backwards our lives really are. There really should be nothing more important for us to do in our day than meet our Lord in prayer and search His word. That really should be the thing that occupies the majority of our time and attention. Well, that and spreading the knowledge of the gospel to others. And yet we live lives focused more around how to pay the next power bill than we do in communion with God.
I can only hope and pray that God will allow me to spend my life in His service… teaching His word… serving His flock. And that He will not delay too long in bringing that to pass. It will be that hope that will get me through the hum-drum days of paying bills and punching timeclocks that lay ahead.
I actually did okay leaving school for the last time today. I was honestly afraid I was going to embarrass myself and cry. But the things that are moving me to tears tonight are the things I didn’t expect would be a problem. Things like putting all of my books into the bookshelf after months of having them stacked close to the couch for instant reading. Things like completely emptying and storing away the backpack that I got specifically to take my books back and forth to school. Things like putting my gloves away that I’ve used every morning biking to school in the brisk morning air. I will miss these little things. I will miss the people I’ve learned and served alongside. I will miss this time in my life. And I will always thank my Heavenly Father for allowing me to have experienced it.
