Psalm 27:4

One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.

The 2017 Annual Student’s Spiritual Conference in the North was attended by thirty of our students and a few faculty members. This year they chose a theme for their conference from Psalm 27, calling it: “One thing I ask!” The sessions of the retreat were also taken from the same passage.

Session One: “Entering into God’s Presence”

When we enter into God’s presence, God changes us and transforms who we are. He grants us spiritual blessings when we spend time with Him.  As children of God, we have to be diligent in our walk with God. There are always spiritual obstacles, but when Christ’s spirit dwells in us, we can overcome the works of darkness and the devil, and be transformed to His very image.

Session Two: “Gazing on the Lord’s Beauty”

When we are far away from the Lord, we cannot see or experience His beauty. God desires for us to be close to Him at all times. When we see God’s beauty, we experience His protection over our lives, the significance of seeking His face and witnessing His goodness as we wait for Him. Just like David the psalmist, regardless of the difficult circumstances we go through, we should never take our eyes off the beauty of God. As we seek to reflect our beautiful Lord, we should remember to draw closer to Him every day.

Session Three: “Satisfying the Heart of God”

Walking according to God’s calling and mission for our lives satisfies God’s heart. Walking faithfully and humbly with God means we care for the sheep (His children) that He has entrusted us with.  Jesus appointed twelve disciples, and they went around doing good. In the same manner, as disciples of Jesus in this place, our sole goal and mission should be to spread the Kingdom of God in every way possible, especially living in this highly volatile land.

Final Session: “Declaring His Glory”

There are so many ways for us as Christians to declare God’s glory. When we are continually in God’s presence, we gaze on His beauty and thereby satisfy His heart. Consequently, we can declare His glory by:

1. Following the Greatest commandment (love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself).
2. Following the Greatest mission (go and make disciples of all nations).
3. Being fruitful in the Kingdom (demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit as we seek to tell others about the great God we serve).
4. Leading a life of holiness in everything that we think, say and perform.

It was a spiritually satisfying conference as well as an entertaining one. The group visited some magnificent places in the North such as Banias, Kufur Yaseef village, Haifa and the Bahá’í gardens, and the Stella Maris church in Haifa.

The students came back thankful for this amazing opportunity they had to get closer to God and one another. They are now full of energy for their upcoming final exams.