The words of Isaiah 43:19 remind us that God is in the business of doing new things. So often, in our lives, especially in the church, we can become set on methods or means but forget the ultimate goals and the ends for which the means were created. This is an all too natural inclination for us as humans, I think, as we see what God has done before, and then so think, “Well, what we did to make God move then, let’s do that
over and over again.” But the trick is this: we don’t make God do anything. David reminds us in Psalm 51 that it is not our sacrifices or actions that reach God’s heart or move His hand, but rather it is a broken and contrite heart that God does not despise. This is no method or means for pursuing an end; instead, it is an all-consuming posture that we are called to take before our God: “Lord, all I am is yours. Take me, use
me, mold me. Glorify yourself in me.”
With such a posture, very quickly our work in the church becomes not about preserving methods or making ministry happen under our own steam, but letting the Holy Spirit to whom we have opened our hearts move through us as we are refreshed in God’s presence and are inspired to do ministry from that place of presence and refreshment. All of the truly transformative things God wants to do through us come from this place of utter surrender; not to mention, it is so much more fun when God inspires the work rather than it merely being us making ourselves busy for God!
This idea has reminded me of a theme that I have heard repeated over and over the past couple months, that I have best heard summed up in Henry Blackaby’s pivotal Bible Study, “Experiencing God”: “Find out where God is working and join Him.” Heritage Church, this month I am praying that we will not try to merely preserve methods or preferences, that we will not try to pour new wine into old wineskins, that we will not try to cook up orders for God that he has never asked for; rather, my prayer is that we will be utterly sensitive to the leading of God, find where and how God is working, and then—humbly, unreservedly, and eagerly—join Him. My belief is God is doing a new thing in our midst. May we join Him in that work, not afraid of being part of the new thing that God is doing, but instead being joyfully surrendered to the God who brings true and lasting transformation in us all. I close with the covenant prayer of John Wesley. May this be the heart and surrender from which all of us live in the coming month.
God bless you! Patrick
“I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, place me with whom you will. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be put to work for you or set aside for you, praised for you or criticized for you. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and fully surrender all things to your glory and service. And now, O wonderful and holy God, Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, You are mine, and I am yours. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it also be made in heaven. Amen”
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