— James 4:13-15
Greetings from Cambridge!
Having logged some serious miles in life, my appreciation for James’s rather harsh warning has increased at a pace commensurate with the erosion of any illusion I have ever had of earthly security and self-sufficiency. When the calendar turns at the first of the year I no longer ask, “what do I need to work on?”—as if the question of resolutions doesn’t always haunt my life(!)— but instead I wonder, “what in the world will 2020 bring?” Then and now I am praying that we will be faithful, faith-filled and take Jesus up on his invitation to pray (John 15:7-11).
And so when “normal” was derailed just days ago on a global scale, I’m sure that you were also stunned by the sheer magnitude of the crisis. In the past few days I have been reminded once again that I am mortal, that life is sacred, and that God is good. Ever grateful that the sure foundation under us is sound, and that the Lord’s plans to redeem the world have not been derailed, the roller coaster ride is less scary for sure but still filled with jarring twists and turns. We have been doing our best in our campus community to look for comfort from the Lord.
Students are, of course, deeply disappointed. The plug was pulled on countless projects, athletes literally had no idea they were logging their last practice or match, and seniors were metaphorically speaking, punched in the face and the gut. Initial reactions varied. As one leader lamented, “I have never seen so many people get drunk so fast”. Conversely, many students involved with HCFA not only refrained from drunkenness, but continued hosting the ALPHA course for friends, and set up a snack and prayer table on the walkway in front of Memorial Church. Thoughtful juniors invited their friends from the Class of 2020 to a commencement exercise at the Christian Union office – complete with cardboard graduation caps! Seniors said that it was rather awesome, unforgettable. All of the above in the midst of a chaotic couple of days to say goodbyes and move off campus.
In sum, it has been deeply encouraging to see the maturity of HCFA’s leaders. They have demonstrated transparency, calm and wisdom beyond their years. Thankfully, we will be able to continue to virtually engage with every student we know in Bible Courses, Facetime calls and Google meets. By God’s grace we will not skip a beat.
Prayer Requests
- I am particularly burdened these days with our need to pray for city, state, and national leaders, health care workers, “essential” workers, and researchers. I am personally grateful for heroic family members and friends working in our hospitals, many at real risk
- Pray for us as we adjust to life online
- God’s mercy on us all. We are praying for no less than a powerful move of God in Cambridge before the year ends
One last genuine request: please let us know how we can pray for you! As a staff team we have ramped up our prayer hours this semester and we are committed to focusing additional time in the Word and intercession. Prayer and fasting initiatives abound in our churches and organizations like Christian Union, so we encourage you to avail yourself of this unprecedented opportunity to collectively cry out to God.
Much love from the team,
Don Weiss
Undergraduate Ministry Director
Christian Union Gloria
Please note: if you would like to receive regular updates on how to pray for Christian Union's work at Harvard, please email prayer@christianunion.org.
