"I feel guilty about living in Kauai"

Those were the recent words of a student considering attending the Bible College this Fall. And I think it represents a lot of student's perspective on Hawaii. It is a common misconception that serving the Lord cannot be fun, pleasurable, beautiful, and good.

The truth is that God created beauty, pleasure, joy, and rest. When God was leading Israel out of the land of Egypt he told them that he had a "beautiful" land prepared for them. Jesus taught the disciples that he clothed the lilies of the feild in greater beauty then that of Solomon. Time and time agian God reveals himself as the one who loves to bless. And the blessings of God don't have to be blessings that can only be seen through a spiritual perspective. God does bless us within our understanding of beauty, pleasure, and life enjoyment. Just read the book of Song of Solomon.

The problem is our missuse or abuse of the blessings God gives. This is the case with money, sex, the beauty of nature, and so on. Man can pervert what God has intended to be enjoyed in a particular context.

So to all of you who are feeling guilty about attending Bible College in the most beautiful place in the world: stop. Allow God to lead you. And use this as an opportunity to learn more about how God works. Whether you come to Kauai or not, you need to have God deal with this leagalistic way of thinking.

It is ok to be blessed by God! Just use that blessing in a biblical way.