tuesday

I feel the need to be honest with you – although a Christian for 15 years, I have never practiced the spiritual discipline of fasting. That changed on Tuesday, January 26^th.

But as God was stirring in the hearts of the students here at Moody, He placed a special burden on my heart to fast and pray – to await his cleansing and movement on campus expectantly.

There are many things that are deeply embedded in the Moody “system.” Some of these things shouldn’t be there. A critical spirit, the things surrounding dating, cynicism…I could address them all individually, along with a scheme of how to cure us of them.

Yet when you step back, something is at the root of these habits. Although it is difficult to say, the truth is – Jesus Christ is not at the center of everything we do here at Moody Bible Institute. And believe me, I love Moody. I love this ministry, this opportunity to learn, this campus. But what would MBI look like if every single second of our day revolved around our Savior?

These were some questions I brought before the Lord on Tuesday.

But instead of answers, God first showed me things in my own life – areas that needed to be surrendered. I realized that before the Lord can show us big things, he first must prepare our hearts.

All my life I have been a perfectionist. Whatever I do, I need to do to the best of my ability. But when things don’t turn out the way I wanted, or expected, it becomes a very personal attack. I hurt very deeply when I fail.

This becomes a monstrously large problem when approaching the Lord. I often feel unworthy to come before His throne. “I’ll just fix these problems first,” I’ll say to myself. However, this proves an impossible task, leaving me even more hurt.

God has been revealing this to me since being back on campus this semester. And I can’t tell you how in awe I was when He put this verse in my path:

Hebrews 10:14 – “…because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”

Christ’s sacrifice has made me perfect. Whatever junk I drag with me, He has dealt with. He took it upon Himself on the cross. Instead of coming to Jesus in shame of my sin, I can come to him in victory!

Tuesday’s fast was an incredible time of discovering how to come into the throne room of God Almighty, head held high, with praise on my lips. He truly has saved me! I did nothing.

While I do not yet know what the Lord has prepared for this campus, Christ is finding his way into the center of my life. I pray that during these forty days, He does the same thing for you.

Tyler Patty