I enjoyed being with all of you Saturday morning. My soul felt energized being in a room full of people desiring more of God and committed to being with others on their journeys of seeking Him. Those hours together lit a spark to dive in more deeply in my own study. As I was reading Chapter 1of Service and Secrecy, one quote especially stood out, “We actually slander and dishonor God by our very eagerness to serve Him without knowing Him” Oswald Chambers. The quote fits within the context of the chapter title “Doing Flows Out of Being”. The overall message is that when we stay connected to God our service remains life-giving and full of God-given passion. When our “doing” is not connected to God, we burn out.
The quote reminded me of a few things. Have you heard of the analogy of “doing” versus “being” represented by a deep well and a stream? A deep well symbolizes time “being” with God, in study or reflection, becoming intimate with Him. The stream symbolizes our”doing”; service, of actions towards situations that break the heart of God and our own hearts. The well and the stream need each other. If a well didn’t have an outlet, then it becomes stagnant. And if a stream doesn’t have a source, it dries up. If our “being” with God never has an outlet we lose purpose. And if our “service” has no connection to the Head, we slowly lose resources and flow.
I’ve always loved this analogy. Ths time as I reflected on it, I realized the truth is that if we are connected to God we can’t help but serve. His love will spill over and others will experience that love. There is no holding back that well.
It also reminded me of Wayne Santom’s charge to our group to pray; to have space in our days to not only talk to God, but to listen for His voice, whisper, and movement in our lives. We have to recognize that we can not do this on our own. But imagine what could be done when we partner with God!
All of this was in the background of my mind when I went to church Sunday. Of the many things that Pastor David said that struck me, there was one that brought these thoughts to the forefront. In introducing the series, he said “It isn’t that God wants you to be a superhero, it’s that he wants to do supernatural things through you.” May each of us, as we prepare for this trimester, create space to experience more of God in our lives. May we nourish our souls so that the love of Christ spills over as deep love for those in our groups. And may we “be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and live a life of love” (Ephesians 5:1) so that as a community we are marked by our love for and service to others.
Rob Gillgrist 