Draw me unto you and let us run together…
Tonight I was telling the Lord that he was moving too fast - life for us is getting more rather than less unpredictable, and I’m feeling breathless.
I had thought (a few months ago) that we citybuilders were a year or two away from settling into some measure of normalcy: we’d have unpacked some of what the Lord had been teaching us, we’d start living out what we’d learned about unity and purpose and common life. Life would be more of what it is now, with more in-common households, more people, and we’d be better at it. It would be an alternative life to the world’s, but it would be a pattern of life. But here you go again, Lord, with the missionary company, the new work college, and who knows what’s next…
No wonder the early Christians thought Christ would be returning soon - the Spirit kept leading them further and further away from normalcy - it didn’t seem sustainable, it must come to a head!
And then the Lord had a pretty swift comeback to my griping: yes, “coming to a head” was exactly the point. He wasn’t going to rest until he’d brought about his kingdom, transformed every part of human life and the whole of creation, and united all things in Christ. He doesn’t want the dust to settle before the completion of his purpose - it’s only from the reluctance, hardheartedness, and mistrust of his people that things ever become “normal”.
Today I asked the Lord for a word, and opened to a line in Smith Wigglesworth: “If there is anything that God is dissatisfied with, it is stationary conditions”. (The collected works, p.253).
Any weariness and fear of change on my part is basically saying, “Gee, Father, does saving the world and uniting it in Christ matter that much? I mean, what’s the hurry? Can’t we just take a break?” I realized, I’m either barreling forward at break-neck pace with the Lord, or I’m slowing down the coming of the kingdom. Any demands I make for a future of stability, contentment, and normalcy is being out of sync with the burning desire of my Father.
All right, Lord, draw me unto you and let’s run together!
February 6th, 2007 at 11:20 pm
Great post! God runs so quickly; it seems the more we get excited about His running in one area, the faster He carries us forward to the next! Carolyn and I have been in conversation over the last 8 months about clustering in New Orleans, and it appears as though within the next 3 months we will be moving into a house two doors down from a couple with whom we were praying we could cluster! How exciting is that??! Just curious, what is the new work college?