Hopeful signs
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There seems to be a sense of new life around us!
Not only is nature revealing the miracle of new shoots appearing in abundance, but the government’s roadmap to ease us out of lockdown now features daily in the news. One of the joys of Spring is being able to physically see the emerging signs of life, shoots appearing and flowers beginning to open. We are certainly not in full bloom yet, but we are seeing the hope of what will soon be upon us. Similarly with lockdown, we are not out of it yet but those making the big decisions are talking about potential dates and giving us cause for hope. All this has got me thinking about looking for signs of God’s touch in our lives. |
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We are probably all aware of our ongoing need for transformation in some areas of our lives, perhaps healing for our bodies or a change in our attitudes or circumstances. Along with this can come a frustration that the longed-for transformation is taking so long. I suspect that we have a lot to learn about this from nature, and indeed from one of the parables Jesus gave us:
‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces corn – first the stalk, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. As soon as the corn is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.’ Mark 4:26-2
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Jesus is saying to us that we can expect the kingdom of God to reveal itself slowly and gradually, and not always quickly and dramatically. So rather than groan that things are not happening more speedily, if we observe signs of the kingdom’s slow growth within us it is a cause for thanksgiving and rejoicing.
So what has all this got to do with encounterprayer? For me, one of the joys of praying this way is that the focus is on encountering God and letting him touch us however he wishes. Although there is the opportunity for us to bring whatever requests we might have to him, the emphasis is very much on allowing him to bring whatever he wants into our lives. Through encounterprayer we are encouraged to rejoice in what God says or does, rather than complaining about what he does not do. |
God is growing his kingdom in and around us . . . be surprised by his transformation in our lives and in the lives of those for whom we pray. |
In this season of springtime, we rejoice in the life that springs up around us and are often surprised by what we see. Similarly, let us rejoice that God is growing his kingdom in and around us, and be surprised by his transformation in our lives and in the lives of those for whom we pray.
John Ryeland
John Ryeland
