Acerca of
The invitation
STUDENT: What is this inscription?
TEACHER: Setapart.
STUDENT: What does that mean?
TEACHER: It is a call.
STUDENT: A call to everyone?
TEACHER: If you will, but not everyone answers it.
STUDENT: And how should we answer it?
TEACHER: It is up to you to find out, but to find out you must first stop (Psalm 46:10).
STUDENT: Stop! And what for?
TEACHER: That's up to you to find out. If you don't stop, you can't hear.
STUDENT: Hear what?
TEACHER: The voice.
STUDENT: Whose voice?
TEACHER: From the Creator.
STUDENT: How do you hear the one you can't see?
TEACHER: Have you ever seen the wind?
STUDENT: What a question! Of course not.
TEACHER: Yet you hear it.
STUDENT: Good point, I hadn't thought of that.
TEACHER: Have you ever seen the wind?
STUDENT: You can't see the wind. It is its effect that is visible.
TEACHER: No one has ever seen God but his creation speaks of him (John 1:18; Romans 1:20).
STUDENT: And how long do we have to stop to hear the voice of God?
TEACHER: Travel time.
STUDENT: What trip are you talking about?
TEACHER: From our stay on earth.
STUDENT: But we never left it.
TEACHER: That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3:6). We are just strangers on this earth.
STUDENT: But you're human just like me. Why do you pretend to be a foreigner? Are you from another planet?
TEACHER: I am only an ambassador on this earth (2 Corinthians 5:20). My true home is in heaven (Ephesians 2:19).
STUDENT: Ambassador! But with what mission?
TEACHER: To reconcile mankind to God (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
STUDENT: You talk as if man is at odds with God.
TEACHER: A soldier who does not obey his commander is in rebellion against him. So is it with everyone who does not obey God.
STUDENT: If I follow your reasoning, my sin would be an act of rebellion.
TEACHER: Sin results from affection for the flesh or material things. If we prefer the things of the world to the law of God, we are at enmity with God (Romans 8:7).
STUDENT: And where is the law of God?
TEACHER: In the hearts of those who fear him (Hebrews 8:10; Psalm 119:11).
STUDENT: Yes, but you told me yourself that no one has ever seen God.
TEACHER: No one but the Son who has made him known (John 1:18).
STUDENT: And who is this Son?
TEACHER: Jesus who is called the Christ.
STUDENT: And how do you know he's telling the truth?
TEACHER: Because he accomplished in every details what the prophets foretold centuries before he came to earth.
STUDENT: We can all read a book and then realize what was advertised in the book.
TEACHER: When what is announced is up to us, yes. But we cannot control the actions of others, even less of those who hate us.
STUDENT: Okay, but what makes him so special compared to all the other prophets?
TEACHER: He rose from the dead on the 3rd day as he said he would.
STUDENT: Maybe his disciples just stole her body?
TEACHER: None of them went back on their testimony and all died martyrs.
STUDENT: How many saw it?
TEACHER: He was seen by more than five hundred men at once (1 Corinthians 15:6).
STUDENT: Which makes a common hallucination impossible...
TEACHER: Without faith, it is impossible to please God. He who draws near to God must believe that God exists and that he is the rewarder of those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6).
STUDENT: And how do you have faith?
TEACHER: Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17).
STUDENT: What if we can't hear?
TEACHER: To hear, you have to stop and seek. God says you will find me if you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).
STUDENT: And how long do we have to wait?
TEACHER: Time to get ready.
STUDENT: To be ready for what?
TEACHER: To be ready for anything…to give up everything to hear the voice of God and follow him.
STUDENT: This can be long.
TEACHER: This is the ultimate call. The only one that is really important and that we should not miss. What good is it for a man to gain the world if he loses his soul (Mark 8:37)? What would a man give in exchange for his soul (Matthew 16:26)?
STUDENT: Setapart, is it a place?
TEACHER: It is a remote, secluded, separate place.
STUDENT: A deserted place?
TEACHER: The best way to hear the voice of God is to silence other voices.
STUDENT: And who goes there?
TEACHER: Those who seek the truth, who want to know God and respond to his call.
STUDENT: And how do they find the place?
TEACHER: By word of mouth, by a meeting, by a testimony… by a call… by following the voice.
STUDENT: Like me right now?
TEACHER: Like you right now.
STUDENT: Am I being called?
TEACHER: What is your heart telling you? Do you hear his voice? Do you hear the call?
STUDENT: Is there a room in which to stay?
TEACHER: There are several accommodations, rooms and places to relax.
STUDENT: And how much does it cost to stay there?
TEACHER: A one-year commitment.
STUDENT: That's a lot.
TEACHER: And still nothing compared to eternity.
STUDENT: You talk like my destiny depends on it.
TEACHER: It's up to you.
STUDENT: I ​​am not in control of my destiny.
TEACHER: What if your destiny has brought you here right now?
STUDENT: What do you mean?
TEACHER: What if your destiny came down to a choice?
STUDENT: And what choice would that be?
TEACHER: To follow God or turn your back on Him.
STUDENT: I'm not sure that God exists.
TEACHER: Are you ready to take a risk?
STUDENT: The risk that he doesn't exist?
TEACHER: Or the risk he exist?
STUDENT: How would I know? I'd rather not think about it.
TEACHER: Will the fact that you don't think about it change anything about whether or not God exists?
STUDENT: No, I don't think so.
TEACHER: So you're taking a risk?
STUDENT: And how do you know?
TEACHER: Come and see!
STUDENT: See what?
TEACHER: A new way, the truth, the life...
STUDENT: Now?
TEACHER: Today is the day of salvation!
STUDENT: I ​​can't.
TEACHER: Of course you can. It is only a choice.
STUDENT: Actually, I don't know if I should...
TEACHER: And how will you know if you don't take the first step?
STUDENT: Is that my call?
TEACHER: How do you know if you can't hear his voice? How to hear his voice if you don't come? How come if you don't change your way?
STUDENT: The path.
TEACHER: The path to eternity.
And here's how it all started. A simple question about a word then my life changed. My future presented itself before me. Was it absurd to be absorbed by this speech? Should I withdraw in order to take a break to take charge of my destiny? Was it a myth, an illusion? Could I take the risk of not knowing? Would this discussion haunt me for the rest of my life? Would I continually wonder what would have happened if I had joined? Can I afford to miss my call?
Nothing about this stay was ordinary. The places, the encounters, the message, the voice, the call, the meaning of life, my destiny, eternity! I have transcribed in my notebook each of my meetings in order to remind me of my stay, so my notes can serve as a testimony to future generations and so that I can meet you, readers, on the path of eternity.