God-Signs |
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| Wednesday, 01 July 2009 18:13 |
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Bob was the first one of us to notice it - the eye-level robin's nest in one of the new young trees behind the Christian Life Center. First, he observed just the nest with four eggs, and by the time he showed it to me, it was filled with baby birds. This wonderful sign of new life seemed to us to be just the proper God-given symbol for what was being born in the adjacent building - a fledgling ministry based in a unique mix of contemporary worship, radical hospitality, and sports and recreation outreach. Like those baby birds, the ministry of the Christian Life Center is beginning to learn to fly!
As we watched those baby robins, we recalled Psalm 84:1-4, which had been read as the processional into the Christian Life Center Consecration Service began: How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself,where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. And we said to ourselves, "Even the robin finds a home where she may lay her young at your altars!" The robin's nest seemed to us a very special sign of God's presence blessing this new place. A few days later, after observing the robin's nest at the Christian Life Center, I glanced out the windows into the Uptown church courtyard, only to observe another robin's nest there, complete with the mother bird, sitting on her eggs. I took that as another God-sign, that God will continue to guide and bless new possibilities at all of our worship locations! Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise. I haven't found it yet, but I'm guessing there is also a robin's nest or similar God-sign at Faith Chapel. In this season of new possibilities, may we be open to all that God would do in and through our multi-site church! Martha Ward, Lead Co-Pastor |