Another Sunday.
The sixth to last sunday at Sanctuary 21 before Dawn and I move to London.
A Sunday where I was down to preach three times in the day.
After a fantastic early breakfast in a city cafe, I walked up to Sanctuary 21. While walking through the city my mind was reflecting own our move to London. We have seen God do immeasurably more than we could ever imagine in the last five years. We have had a brilliant time and we are leaving the most incredible people behind.
I began to feel a bit of a strange flutter deep in my abdomen.
The flutter was a panicky kind of feeling.
Then the "what if" brigade marched into my head from nowhere.
"What if we never experience the kind of growth we have seen ever again? What if the new division don't take to us? What if the people don't like us? What if we don't get the incredible favour we have had heaped upon our ministry in the North East?"
What if?
What if?
What if?
As We got to the door of Sanctuary 21 and scooped my bunch of keys out of my pocket, I was feeling a bit scared, a bit uncertain and a bit fragile to be honest.
As We opened the door, Dawn picked up a piece of paper that had been posted through our letter box and had landed on the floor. She took it upstairs.
Funnily enough, God had kind of given me a word to communicate to three different congregations that day.
It sorted the "what if" brigade right out.
It was the call of Jeremiah. Jeremiah 1: 4-19
I was taken by verse 17.
"But you, up on your feet and get dressed for work! Stand up and say your piece. Say exactly what I tell you to say. Don't pull any punches or I will pull you out of the line up." (Message)
Jeremiah had been called as a prophet to the nations, he was a bit reluctant, a bit scared and a bit fragile. In response to the call, Jeremiah had said this to God. "Alas sovereign Lord, I do not know how to speak; I am too young."
Sounds like the what if brigade had marched into Jeremiah's head too. So he brings out the excuses to why he shouldn't be a prophet to the nations.
God tells him to get up on his feet and get to work!
In our journey as Salvation Army officers, Dawn and I have had to plant two prayer centres from scratch. We've seen God build both places in Liverpool and now Durham in breathtaking fashion.
But.
Here we are faced with being appointed West London development officers.
Development?
That may mean starting from scratch again.
As I got my coffee before the meeting at S21 started on Sunday, the "what if" brigade had me convinced for a second or two that Dawn and I were inadequate for this new task, we couldn't possibly build or develop anything new for a third time.
Until.
As I quickly read the scripture in my office as I prepared myself to speak that morning, the words in verse 17 hit me like an Exocet.
"Get up and get dressed for work!"
I pictured the need that we have ministered into and tried to picture the gigantic need that will be in a city as massive as London. And I had a sense that I knew God was speaking to me.
"Get up and get dressed for work. Despite how you feel, I will put my words in your mouth and I will rescue you. Go to them and say whatever I command you to say."
A new level of courage swept into my body.
Then as I emerged into the main worship hall at S21 Dawn passed me the piece of paper that she had picked up earlier.
It was a picture of someone's brain scan.
We get prayer requests posted through our doors all the time, and this one was a heart cry from a mother for her daughter.
Written on it was a simple sentence.
"Please pray for my daughter, this is her brain scan, she has a large tumour and they can't remove it. Please pray. Please."
We prayed hard that morning for this situation.
But.
There was another reason that the request was important.
For me.
I was so touched by it.
It was the fact that I think God was reminding me why he laid the vision he has given to Dawn and I and the reason he was telling me to get up and get dressed for work. And an overwhelming sense of something even more incredible than we have seen so far was going to materialise in London.
It reminded me of the desperate need that is in our world. And we are the response to that need.
All of us.
Whatever God calls us to or envisions us to carry out, do not let the "what if" brigade, a renegade band of hapless thoughts, penetrate your mind and ultimately your soul because there is so much Work to do. So many bleeding hearts to touch, so many tortured souls to set free.
And we are it.
We are The ones called to join Jesus Christ in his saving work in this world.
So if you are doubting who you are in Christ, or doubting your calling or questioning your visions and dreams?
Here's the word.
"But you, get up and get dressed for work!"
Massive blessings.
