God is moving

Juniper Pact: the sacred ground of suffering intends to do one thing — make use of suffering (our own and that of others) to find a God our public square just doesn’t know; a God who is willing to make us far more powerful than we’ve ever been told we can be; a God who has every intention of bringing God’s kingdom to this earth; a God who IS right HERE.

We bring our suffering right to God and then sit beneath the Juniper. We accept the vulnerability that comes with waiting. We agree to dangle agonizing questions before a God we’re not all that sure of, and we are willing to risk waiting to see if God will move in response.

God is moving, and now it’s time now to stand.

We’ll continue our waiting, for sure, but we’ll make it an active waiting. We’ll take what we know of God and we’ll get going. We’ll move with it, figure out how to apply it. We’ll begin to live it. We’ll take this waiting and realize it is a pregnant, potent thing, and why? Because waiting on God, because it is God, cannot be stagnant. God’s Spirit is at work, in our minds, in our dreams, in our relationships. While we wait, the Spirit of God moves around in our suffering, working it so goodness comes, wisdom comes, growth comes.

It's time we put this goodness, this wisdom, this growth to work. It’s time we claim it. It’s time we ditch being sheepish and indecisive.

It’s time we voice our dissatisfaction with the God of the public square. It’s time we challenge that narrow thing. It’s time we realize what we’re really hearing inside of us conflicts with where popular Christianity is going. Its answers to suffering leave us cold, and God is anything but cold.

We’ve been sitting here for a while now. It’s time to stand.

Reflection

Does it seem like popular Christianity’s answers to the suffering in the world are, well, lazy? Does it seem like their white flag is flying – because we’re so bad; because Satan has been loosed on the earth; and, because our victory is only in heaven? Is God really going to give up the world God fashioned?

Prayer

Dear God, I’m tired of feeling defeated! I’m tired of seeing you as a victim of all of us. I’m tired of thinking our suffering is your answer to how ignorant and arrogant we can be. I want the God who burns in my heart! I want the God who spoke through Jesus Christ and, with a twinkle in his eye, challenged us to bring the kingdom. You wouldn’t tell us to do something if you weren’t prepared to equip us to do it! We’re ready, God.