Yet another semester at Oklahoma Baptist University is underway. It seems that we, as students, repeat the same process when new classes begin. We fight so that we will not grow disheartened at the monotony that we find in our daily readings and research papers. There are times within that fight when we determine to leave our Bibles closed, sitting on our desk, so that we can gain another twenty minutes of sleep before waking up the morning after. There are times within that fight when we are guilty of compromising by pressing the snooze button; thus losing the time that we have reserved to spend in conversation with God every morning. There must be some sort of escape from such a pursuit; a pursuit that will ultimately allow us to serve God more greatly in the future, but at the moment seems to be prying us away from that relationship.

Imagine, if you will, that you are catching up on homework, deciding whether or not you should skip this evening’s time reading God’s Word. There may be a point at which you become tired of doing that homework. You use this time to take a small break and glance through your school newspaper. You see a column entitled Cross Word. Upon further investigation you discover a few words that you need to hear, or in this case see. You are encouraged, or convicted, and thus inspired to continue working. Imagine receiving the fuel you need for the remainder of the night simply by reading a column in The Bison.

In no way am I saying that this effort could possibly replace a daily Bible reading or morning time spent in conversation with God. My words simply cannot compare. In a sense, this column could be viewed as a sort of chicken soup for the Christian soul. Though it is not served with wafers in a fractured bowl, it might just happen to help you to grow in your relationship with God.

Do I need to discuss how important it is for us to continue in pursuit of our relationship with God?

I recently had a lock-in with my students at South Lindsay Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. After some intense worship, I passed out bite size chocolates (one for each student). I told each of them not to eat the piece of chocolate they had chosen. They were simply to look at it while it was still in the wrapper. I asked them if this piece of chocolate was fulfilling their desire to satisfy each one’s sweet tooth. In response, I received a resounding, “NO!” I asked why, and every student replied saying that he or she wanted to eat that particular piece of chocolate.

Next, I asked the students to remove the wrapper from their pieces of chocolate. I also told them not to smell, taste, or eat. Needless to say, anticipation began to build. “Is it satisfying your desire now?” I asked. The answer I received from them remained the same as before.

I then asked each student to go one step farther and smell his or her piece of chocolate. It was very difficult for those students not to cheat. The chocolate still did not satisfy their desire.

After smelling this chocolate, I had each student lick the surface of the bar that he or she held. Anticipation grew even more and desire still had not been fulfilled.

Finally the time came. I asked each student to eat his or her chocolate. Desire was finally satisfied.

We can come so close to God before having a relationship with Him. If you do not necessarily agree with this statement, look at Hebrews 6:4-6. Whoever wrote Hebrews thought that it would be very important to include the word “taste”. To taste something you have to be very close to it. The same is true with God. We can live like a Christian but we cannot experience the satisfaction that God can place within our hearts unless we actually start a relationship with God.

I asked my students what they desired after they ate the chocolate that I had earlier provided for them. They answered saying, “More chocolate.” When we start a relationship with God, we will hunger even more passionately for God to fulfill our desire. Every desire we have is infinite, and, unlike chocolate, God can fulfill our desire for Him infinitely because He is infinite. Will you join me in starting a revolution for Christ on this campus this semester? It’s time to, once again, get serious about our relationship with our Father in Heaven.

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