As far as it depends on you

If matters go according to His will, they go according to mine. Consequently nothing can go "wrong",-I must be satisfied.
Mozart

This weekend Korrinne, a friend I met through the DiscipleMakers Missions Conference, came down to visit from her own short term home in Salamanca. 

It has been sweet to gain a new appreciation for Granada through the eyes of someone who is for the first time seeing all the wonders that have begun to seem normal to me. And everything is just a little more special now that it's spring, and the flowers are blooming, and the sun is shining (and burning my face even when I wear sunscreen).

We visited the Alhambra, went to a bar to watch Barcelona play Real Madrid (those guys get into it, man), toured the Arab markets, and enjoyed many beautiful views that I have already seen but now seem even more precious.

Hanna, my german friend, is currently volunteering in South Africa and she texted me yesterday: Seeing so much, but literally Megan, today I realized so much that not even traveling to the most beautiful places on earth makes you REALLY happy. NOTHING can fulfill you besides God!

How true. I've felt the truth of that text many times. While walking around that white washed area of town you see in the picture above, I ask myself 'how can I ever be discontent here?' Well, when I'm not finding my contentedness (is that really a word...?) in the Lord. 

Having Korrinne here was a huge encouragement to that end, since I got to talk to someone with the same beliefs as me with no language or distance barriers. It has been SO good to keep up with friends back home and to talk to Spanish Christians here, but it was something else to just walk around with a good friend who also wants to serve the Lord. 

I've been struggling a little with a particular class, Islamic Civilizations. And with the culture in general these days which places 'sincerity' above truth. Like, 'do you really believe sincere followers of other religions are going to hell?' 'I just can't reconcile the evil that happens in the world- how do you explain that and a good God?'

Well, how do you explain it without a good God?

For me, his goodness exposes the evil that we manifest, not the other way around. 

'I think Jesus was just a good teacher.."

Okay, well, what do you think his main message was? 

If he was a good teacher, he wouldn't have lied over and over about his own identity, claiming to be God and teaching his followers to follow him. 

But sometimes we are just too intolerant to the idea of hearing others out. Learning about Islam has, honestly, been a blessing. 

I am blessed to know that not all muslims are as radical in their beliefs or treatment of women as those seen on tv. I'm blessed to even learn the difference between 'arabic' and 'muslim'. There are a lot of things I just never knew. There are a lot of prejudices I'm now finding unjustifiable. There are a lot of good things to be found in other schools of thought.  

And in some of my most honest moments I can admit that I wonder how I can hold on to Jesus's claim that no one comes to the Father except through him. 

But that is just the wondering I want to be doing here- why do I believe Jesus is the only way? How do I think of other religions in light of that belief? How do I love those who disagree with me and live at peace with them? And why is the topic that is so often on my mind so seldom on my lips?

If possible, as far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Romans 12

So the refreshment of having a friend here with whom I could just share my joys with and hear 'amen!' instead of 'get it, girl!' or something along the lines of self fulfillment was just really, really nice. 

And to expound on the quote above, matters aren't always going according to my will in the sense of my wants and wishes. Things are frustrating (like the Simpsons-who knew Spain is in love with the show that gave me my first existential crisis?), some people just grate on me, and frequently I just want to curl up in bed. But when I think of putting my will in line with His, and seeking to be satisfied in Him in the time I have left here, I am totally at peace.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 

Colossians