My Prayer for PIU

For several years God has been leading me to pray for the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant for PIU. If you have ever heard me speak in a church or give a Bible lesson you have probably heard something from me about how these promises apply to us today. God called Abram to "go out and be a blessing" by taking the blessings that God gave him and sharing them with others as he brought worship of God into his daily business. I think that is pretty much what God calls all of us to do as we fulfill the "Great Commission" of "making disciples of all nations" by using the resources, talents, gifts and opportunities He gives us to connect Jesus to people as we live out the normal day to day business of life. For me, that is the bottom line to all my responsibilities as president of PIU. Thus, it must be something that God does through us, not just something we do ourselves and that is what God is promising through the covenant with Abraham.

So, I have been praying for land. God promised Abraham a land where his people could be at rest and the world could see how wonderful a place, that lived according to God's ways, could be. Ultimately that promise will be fulfilled when Christ rules on earth but we, as Christ's body have an opportunity to, as one of my students put it, to "bring the holy of holies of God's presence wherever we go." The 3 1/2 acres where PIU sits in the center of Guam has been a place like that for many people already. As I prayed I imagined us expanding into adjoining properties but that is impossible now. We continue to pray that God will show us a place where we can build a place that will provide "excellent higher Christian education to the peoples of the Pacific."

I have been praying for "seed" or people that God will bring alongside to accomplish the vision He has provided for PIU. Many people have come and gone from our staff in the almost 20 years I have been at the school and most have been great blessings to us and our students. God also has brought us amazing students that continue to serve him all over the world today. This year, for various reasons, we are losing a good portion of our administration. I am praying that God will bring in the right people to lead our academic, advancement, and other departments so that we truly can be the Christian university in the region, with people who bring their relationship with God into ministry, work, education (Bible, Liberal Studies and even scuba) and life.

I have also been praying for "blessing." I have to admit that most of the time to me that meant resources and finances. And believe me we need them. But as I read the story of Abraham it is clear that the greatest blessing promised here is the presence of God in relationship. That most important part of the covenant we have at PIU in abundance. It is evident as we sit in chapel sharing how the truth of a biblical passage applies to our lives. It is evident when a staff member prays with a student for resources to pay their school bill or for an issue in their lives. It is evident when we see students fired up about going to the mission field or serving in the community. I see it in the faces of our staff as they keep working hard (with a smile) even though there is no money to do it - really living out their faith in front of the community.  I often hear the comment when people come on our school property that "God is really in this place." That is the greatest blessing and that is why I am confident that the resources to keep it going and to make it grow have always come in the past will come in the future.

So, I am continuing to pray for land, seed and blessing for PIU. I would appreciate it very much if you would join me.