The Grandfather Clock
The overwhelming thing I have learnt as a missional listener is to do with posture. Putting it simply, I believe now, that we should come to God with empty hands, allowing God to fill them, and direct us by His spirit to the joining in with His mission of the reconciliation of all things. That posture is to be the same to the neighbour, empty hands, not going to just give and bless, treating them as a missional target that we can help join us in our walk and attract to the things we do, but as a missional conversation partner who blesses us, and disciples us, and suddenly in time we realise we have permission to journey with them to some place new. Empty hands.
Sometimes, I rather arrogantly think I am radical and right! Then God corrects me - and I realise I am nowhere near either radicalness or being right! This happened recently, as I am rediscovering some of the great prayers of the bible with the small community I belong, and I realised that my relationship with God is almost completely directed by me... The prayer was Abraham's prayer in Genesis 18:16-33. Have a read, go deep - God is good!
It was reading this prayer that I realised for the first time that the whole prayer was orchestrated by God. God instigated the prayer by deciding to share his thoughts and plans with Abraham (v.17), He welcomed Abrahams thoughts and prayers and then the prayer conversation continued until God decided the job was done. Verse 33: 'When the Lord has finished speaking with Abraham...'. Its incredible to think that God was interested in Abrahams opinion. Its mind boggling to see God and Abraham, standing and chatting as two friends. But it completely blown my mind that the prayer was finished by God, not Abraham.
God has never finished one of my prayers. It has always been me who has cut off the conversation. Usually, because I am bored, distracted, have other things to be getting on with or on retreat, fallen asleep! I am the one in control of my prayers. When I think back to my role as Baptist minister in a church setting, I controlled the prayers there too, skilfully getting the timings right, so they were not to long for boredom, or to short for those who want long'uns! Church services would be brilliantly finished at the appropriate time, regardless of what's going on, so that everyone can get back for Sunday lunch. Even 24 hour prayer meetings we held, were cut off by me because our target had been met. I have never had a prayer finished by God, always controlled by me. Power. Control. Full Hands.
We have a picture for our little community and the others around the area we are called to listen too. Its a picture of a group of people, flying kites on the beach with child like joy. Its colourful, joyful and beautiful. The BBQ's are lit, cooking various foods for everyone. There are also others watching, gathered round but not yet holding kites. It reminds me of my friend Pete Atkins church, that has the aim to be candle, table and open door. A candle, signifying the presence of God. The table, a sign of community and the open door, a sign to Gods mission. The presence is God flying the kites, the BBQ's, community and the crowd watching is the open door to God's mission.
How do we create such communities. Well, we don't! Only God builds the church. In a time of community prayer the picture in response to that question was of a grandfather clock. Big, strong and dominant. What I did not know at the time, is that if other pendulum clocks are placed in close proximity to another pendulum clock, the swing rate of a pendulum adjusts, passing motion and energy back and forth, concluding eventually with all the pendulums swinging identically to one another.
If we want to be a part of vibrant beautiful Christian community then we need to get our posture right, surrender control and allow God to be truly God. To enter prayer because God wants to engage us in His plans, and at times to stay there until God says we are done... and may the grandfather clock be true of our relationship with God, that as we do this, we find are heart beating with His, our hands and feet doing as Jesus did, our eyes seeing what our Triune God sees.
May your pendulum fall into synchronisation with our incredible God.
