lbc-echo-spring-2022 - 63

By Dr. Peter W. Teague, President Emeritus
aving been in Christian education close to 50 years, I
have always believed that for students to really thrive
in their educational experience, they must practice a
rigorous life of the mind. Far beyond an environment
where just knowledge is communicated, there must be a
setting that provides a deep kind of heart component. In
that environment, like we find at LBC | Capital, knowledge
transforms into understanding then, ultimately, wisdom as
guided by the Holy Spirit.
Far beyond head knowledge and memorization is the
interaction between professor and student that engages with
head and heart. Teachers model the questions that always
follow from an educated heart: How does this glorify God? How
does it praise God? How does it make us give thanks to God?
How does it help us to think about what God might be doing
in my life and in the world despite or, perhaps more accurately,
within the context of life's fleeting yet daunting circumstances?
After a day at Hershey Medical Center on Feb. 8, my wife,
Paulette, and I came face to face with these questions in the
most personal of ways. Just one year ago, March 12, 2021, our
daughter, Jessica, became blind when she lost the remaining
vision in her right eye. Under the care of a marvelous retina
specialist, she has undergone four surgeries in the past 11
months with no improvement in her vision.
You can only imagine how devastating this has been to all
who love her and so tenderly care for her. Once again, through
our tears and heartache, we brought ourselves to the truth of
Romans 8:28: " And we know that in all things God works for the
good of those who love him, who have been called according
to his purpose. "
We trust the Lord that this, too, is working for good. As we have
experienced time after time with Jessica and her special needs,
there is always evidence of God faithfully at work. Throughout
this difficult 41-year journey, we thank God that Jessica has
remained happy, content and joy-filled.
Martin Luther said as he lay on his deathbed, " These pains and
troubles here are like the type that printers set. When we look
at them, we see them backwards, and they seem to make no
sense and have no meaning. But up there, when the Lord God
prints out our life to come, we will find they make splendid
reading. "
As Jessica's parents, we have many concerns and deep
frustration but ultimately accept His circumstances
with the reassurance that someday all of this will
make splendid reading. Turning to the Lord in
faith causes us once again to stand firm in His
steadfast love, goodness and faithfulness as we
navigate a new way of life with our daughter,
Jessica.
As the '70s hit says, " ...just a ball of confusion-
that's what the world is today! " Only God's
authoritative Word, as faithfully taught
each day at Lancaster Bible College | Capital
Seminary & Graduate School, offers an
accurate perspective of those other
questions: Who we are, where we come
from, why we exist, what went wrong, the
source of evil and suffering, and how
the world can be set right again.
It is our true north, " Forever, oh Lord,
Your Word is firmly fixed in the
heavens. "
ECHO 59
lbc-echo-spring-2022

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