A Set Apart School Year -Pt.2

My mom is a very adventurous cook. She loves finding and creating new spices, sauces, and flavor combinations.  I gladly accept the position of taste tester awaiting a new taste bud sensation. Sometimes she shoves a spoon in my mouth or a jar in my hand and says, "Taste this." Sometimes, however, she gives me something and says, "Taste this and tell me what's missing". The bible says, "Oh taste and see that the Lord is good!"  I definitely got a good taste yesterday as He dropped that word about it being a set apart school year (read that blog here).  But I also got the feeling that the message wasn't fully complete...

tell me what's missing... tugged at me as I typed.

Experiencing a set apart school year is an awesome thing, one that I personally experienced last year after several years of teaching trauma that nearly pushed me mentally, spiritually, and physically out of the ministry of teaching.  Yes, what we do is a ministry as we co-labor with Christ to advance His Kingdom into the field of education (see 1Corinthians 3:9).  Broken hearts, broken homes, and our broken educational system needs men and women who operate in the power and authority Jesus gave to us.  But how does one get to that kind of school year in the midst of the current state of education? What's missing? 

For one to experience a set apart year, there must first exists something in which God want you to be or experience a marked difference from. Do you remember how God told Pharaoh that the Children of Israel wouldn't have to deal with the upcoming plague and from that point on, He would set their land apart from Egypt? (Exodus 8: 22)  As Pharaoh looked over the plague situation, I can only image him saying, "Plague, shmague.  If they can deal with it, so can I. This is just a series of unfortunate events, it's not the work of their God. They have to endure the stench, thirst, deafening sound of croaking, personal space invasion, and the irritating itching from the lice just like everybody else!"  

As the Apostle Paul explains to Timothy, "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus" and "You must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2 Timothy 2: 1, 3 NKJV)  Another translation, The Voice, says it this way, "be empowered by the grace that is in Jesus, the Anointed One" and "As a good soldier of Jesus the Anointed, be ready to suffer with me."    The truth of having to suffer sometimes gets left out of messages because in all reality, who wants to hear that? But in this truth, God does sometimes call us to suffer (He's allowed to because He is the Potter and we are the clay) to showcase His glory to those who are otherwise blind to it. 

Educators all over this country are crying out.  While we should cry out to those who are supposed to help us i.e. school boards, unions, and local and state governments, our loudest and most direct cries
should be to only One who can deliver and shift the situation for the better.  Because if God promises you that He's got you, then He's got you. Periodt! 

However, this past year for me started out verifying just why I wanted to leave the profession. I had been crying out for years! It seemed to be just as with The Children of Israel, things kept getting worse although the truth of being set apart and delivered was woven in and throughout His word to me. 

I learned that God's purpose in setting us apart can be likened to an adventurous journey. He maps it with beautiful winding pathways of His grace and mercy. While at other times, straight roads lay before us in which  progression is conditional on our obedience to His word. 

As the school year began to move beyond those first three months, things began to shift. I was moved from a tiny classroom with no windows to a larger one with eight windows! Disruptions in instruction due to student behavior decreased dramatically.  Then He answered my hearts desire...He restored my joy in teaching!  Thank You Lord!  You see, the situations that cause frustration were still there.  The stresses of teaching were still there, but it didn't touch me like it was touching others because He was my shield, my protecting wall, my covering.  He had drawn a line in the sand!

So as you begin this school year, believe God for a set apart year so that He may get the glory.  Pray to Him that your attitude, your responses, your love, and even your blessings may cause others to marvel at the God you serve and thus seek to serve Him as well.  Endure what He ordains for you and wait for the line to be drawn! Pray that He would also set apart your students, your families, your school, and the surrounding community. Pray that He would set apart your city, your state, and our nation.

Here are some scriptures to meditate on if you're desiring to be set apart.

Set apart peace?  Read Philippians 4: 6-7

Set apart patience?  Read James 1: 2-4

Set apart placement? Read Psalm 16: 5-8

Set part promotion?  Read 1 Peter 5: 6-7

Have a blessed year!!!! 

The Lord is with you and you are loved,

Toni

Photo credits: 

https://www.stocksy.com/2268425/woman-tasting-sauce-with-spoon

https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/periodt/

https://dailyverse.knowing-jesus.com/2-timothy-2-7