Waiting on God
Recently, MetroSoul (a city-wide mission cooperative that is under development) was having a small retreat for its leaders. Places of residence and ministry were represented from Jersey City(NJ), Bayonne (NJ), Bergen County (NJ), Queens, the Bronx, & Manhattan. As we are working to develop a cooperative of 'organic church planting' from across the NY Metro area, we felt it best to have a loose agenda and spend time in relationships and in prayer. This, of course, flies in the face of our instincts to plan activities down to the minute. We spent time on the NJ shore, sharing meals, playing together, and in prayer.
We remembered that a prayer movement preceeds a church planting movement and lifted our voices before God on Monday evening. We listed areas of emphasis for prayer and attempted to pray over these areas on Tuesday morning. And on Tuesday afternoon, we left our time open for however God might lead us. We took walks, returned and sat together quietly.
Silence. One person began a song. Silence. Another person shared a personal reflection that occured to them during the song. Silence. Another person shared their personal feelings about their journey of faith. Another asked a question about it. The response came, and we then gathered around to pray. Most prayed. Some cried. Everyone hugged warmly. Something happened. God showed up. ....But He wasn't done.....
A man who had come from Guatemala only 8 days earlier was sitting nearby watching. He spoke to one of us in Spanish and requested prayer. He had just left the hospital, couldn't remember where he was staying, was missing his wife and children, was mourning the recent murder of his brother, and had been struggling with suicidal thoughts (his reason for being in the hospital). A handful of people gathered around and those who could to do so prayed in Spanish as the man wept. A couple of brothers drove him to his street where they found the house, gave him some unsoliticed financial help & a snack, and a couple of South NJ contacts were called in order to hopefully connect the man to a church. I pray that God is glorified in the repeating of the story.
I want to share what God can do when we look for Him to set the agenda. While I am an enthusiast for well-laid plans, strategies, schedules, and vision, I am reminded again to leave room for God to set the agenda. There's no magic pill, rather a God who wants us to partner with Him for His Kingdom to fill the earth. That's something I want to be a part of. Don't you?
Lord, You're Kingdom come in Metro NYC as it is in Heaven.
We remembered that a prayer movement preceeds a church planting movement and lifted our voices before God on Monday evening. We listed areas of emphasis for prayer and attempted to pray over these areas on Tuesday morning. And on Tuesday afternoon, we left our time open for however God might lead us. We took walks, returned and sat together quietly.
Silence. One person began a song. Silence. Another person shared a personal reflection that occured to them during the song. Silence. Another person shared their personal feelings about their journey of faith. Another asked a question about it. The response came, and we then gathered around to pray. Most prayed. Some cried. Everyone hugged warmly. Something happened. God showed up. ....But He wasn't done.....
A man who had come from Guatemala only 8 days earlier was sitting nearby watching. He spoke to one of us in Spanish and requested prayer. He had just left the hospital, couldn't remember where he was staying, was missing his wife and children, was mourning the recent murder of his brother, and had been struggling with suicidal thoughts (his reason for being in the hospital). A handful of people gathered around and those who could to do so prayed in Spanish as the man wept. A couple of brothers drove him to his street where they found the house, gave him some unsoliticed financial help & a snack, and a couple of South NJ contacts were called in order to hopefully connect the man to a church. I pray that God is glorified in the repeating of the story.
I want to share what God can do when we look for Him to set the agenda. While I am an enthusiast for well-laid plans, strategies, schedules, and vision, I am reminded again to leave room for God to set the agenda. There's no magic pill, rather a God who wants us to partner with Him for His Kingdom to fill the earth. That's something I want to be a part of. Don't you?
Lord, You're Kingdom come in Metro NYC as it is in Heaven.
posted by Jared | 2:07 PM
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