A Simple Vow That Can Change the World
Your children, grandchildren and those you spiritually mentor, will have heard a hundred sermons and may have forgotten every one. But a simple, four-word sentence just could be the rock that re-directs the river of their life.
For as long as young Count Zinzendorf could remember he had a heart to live for God. Born into a noble Prussian family in the 1700’s, Zinzendorf’s family had his comfortable life of law all planned out for him, so they sent him off to Halle Academy, a boarding school in Germany. But, while other students lived to excel at sports and academics, he regularly gathered students to pray and seek God for the will to live radically and boldly.
His obvious love for God and devotion to prayer galvanized this pampered student body to live with greater kindness. The mistreatment of younger students all but ceased. Lonely, homesick students were comforted instead of ridiculed. The school was transformed!
At the end of his time at Halle, Zinzendorf and five of his privileged friends decided to do what millions of young people dream of today – they decided to start a band! But this band was to be of a radically different sort.
Two years after graduation, on a cold winter’s night, they gathered at an inn from all over Germany. They all knew what they were about to do. They had written and spoke to each other about this moment for years. The vow they were about to take was not an impetuous promise made in a moment of youthful enthusiasm. This vow would change their lives.
For as long as young Count Zinzendorf could remember he had a heart to live for God. Born into a noble Prussian family in the 1700’s, Zinzendorf’s family had his comfortable life of law all planned out for him, so they sent him off to Halle Academy, a boarding school in Germany. But, while other students lived to excel at sports and academics, he regularly gathered students to pray and seek God for the will to live radically and boldly.
His obvious love for God and devotion to prayer galvanized this pampered student body to live with greater kindness. The mistreatment of younger students all but ceased. Lonely, homesick students were comforted instead of ridiculed. The school was transformed!
At the end of his time at Halle, Zinzendorf and five of his privileged friends decided to do what millions of young people dream of today – they decided to start a band! But this band was to be of a radically different sort.
Two years after graduation, on a cold winter’s night, they gathered at an inn from all over Germany. They all knew what they were about to do. They had written and spoke to each other about this moment for years. The vow they were about to take was not an impetuous promise made in a moment of youthful enthusiasm. This vow would change their lives.
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