A Humbling Experience

Well, today was the Bible Knowledge Test.  I woke up at 4 AM with a sinus headache that was quickly heading in to a migraine.  I left the "hotel" and went in search of a drug store to get some medicine before breakfast.  I grabbed my book bag that I have been carrying around all week and arrived without getting lost, only to realize I didn't have my wallet.  So I drove back to the "hotel" and got my wallet and heading back to CVS.  I was pushing getting back to the campus in time for devotions.  Today's topic was the beginning of a series on Spiritual Disciplines.  It was good (I'll share the survey later - everyone ought to do it).  So with a headache and hurried morning, the first thing on the agenda today was The Bible Knowledge Assessment.  I have been in church my entire life.  I have been to seminary.  I serve on a church staff.  I should sail through this test with flying colors - right?  Instead I open the test and after the first section (name the books of the New Testament in order) and realize I am in trouble.  It was bad.  There were 250 questions.  The sections included 1) put biblical events in chronological order, 2) identify theological terms, 3) Name the book and chapter where events happened (both old and new testament), 4) Who said a list of quotes, and 5) scripture memory.  By the 4th section I was in tears.  Stress was at it's fullest.  My headache wasn't easing off and I had no clue the answers to the majority of the questions. 

I was humbled.  I was embarrassed.  I was astonished at my little knowledge.  I turned the test in and just lost it.  I just sat and cried and couldn't really tell you why.  Probably just one of those female things. 

So, now that I am beyond the emotions of the morning and my head feels better I sit back and look at what am I going to do with the knowledge.  I am going to memorize more scripture - regardless of how old I am!  I am going to pull out my Walk Through the Bible stuff and I am going to know my Bible more.  I am going to look at what I am teaching the children at church.  Can you use your Bible?  Do you really know what it says?  If you were given these 250 questions how would you respond? 

I have been brought to my knees today - asking for forgiveness for not investing in a commitment to really know the Bible, asking for a reminder that God has called us to this journey, and asking for the help to really get to know the Bible.  One more exciting challenge in the journey.

Later in the day we had our evangelism assessment and I found that fun.  I used the wordless book and got to "lead" a fellow candidate to Christ.  Then tonight we all had to share our salvation testimonies and the beginning of how we were called to missions.  There are 9 of us with 9 distinct testimonies.  Each was such a reminder of what a great God we serve.

We are tired - emotionally and physically, but in a good way.  We are calling it quits early tonight and look forward to a new day tomorrow.  Our schedule tomorrow includes our paperwork interview (meeting with the personnel director to go over all our paperwork, prepare for our personnel team interview, look at our evaluation scores, and see what we are missing) and we each have a psychological evaluation.  In the middle of it we are recording a segment for the radio show that we participate in Siloam Missionary Homes.  Another full day, but tomorrow night we will have a fun evening with the team.

On the home front - continue to pray for the kids as they are home.  Pray for Amber Lovelace as she is serving as surrogate mom.  The house is being shown tomorrow so keep that in your prayers too. 

Thank you for joining us on this journey.  I cannot think of anywhere else I want to be.