Words by Bev Jones
Releasing The Power
On the television the other night was a great advert illustrating all the people it took to put the first man on the moon. The list went through various groups of people, starting with the scientists and ending with the guy cleaning the office at NASA HQ.
The point was being made that without each and every one of those people, Neil Armstrong would never have been in the position to step out of the space module and make history. The advert was attempting to show that there was no hierarchy – that every single person was valued and necessary. Each had their own part to play. The cleaner at base was just as necessary to the smooth running of the operation as the highest paid engineer, and everybody else in between.
Photo by Space X via Unsplash
In God’s Kingdom, there is no hierarchy. Those people that the world looks on as successful, are no more important to God than anybody else. In fact, Jesus was found continually with groups of people that others wouldn’t be seen with, and all through the Bible, God works mightily in the most unlikely of individuals, and in the most improbable situations. The great commission that Jesus gives in Matthew 28 is for all of us to share the good news. Jesus promises to be with us and gives us the Holy Spirit to empower us.
So how is God empowering us in these times? In these days when those of us not on the front line are only leaving the house when absolutely necessary; is God’s call on our lives as relevant as it normally is? Does it look different to how it normally looks? Is it possible that God’s power is being released as we encounter Him in these less frenetic times? In my own circle of friends, I see people leaning into God in a very determined way; I see people experimenting with different ways of communicating, different ways of praying, different ways of sharing, different ways of being with God.
As we encounter God in more diverse ways, perhaps we need to give him permission to stir something up in us – something that will make us braver and more willing to take risks in the future. Perhaps taking that first step to experiment with something that God has been laying on our heart for a while, something that takes us out of our comfort zone, and means that we have to rely on Him, on His power in us, and not in ourselves. Ultimately something that will give Him the glory.
Be specific – ask God what he wants to do in you and then through you, and then whether it’s something that seems important or not, step into it because we don’t know where we are in the whole scheme of things, and what part of the complete picture we make up.
Only God has the blueprint. All we’re asked to do is respond to what He’s putting on our hearts, encourage each other to take the first step, and trust Him to lead us the rest of the way.
‘May we see the potential in one another and ourselves and allow God to be at work in us.’
- Malcolm Duncan (Lead pastor at Dundonald Elim Church and Theologian in Residence to Spring Harvest. He also writes the daily Night Blessings post on Facebook.)
- Bev Jones
16/4/20
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