The Proper Time...
Church Planting Featured Story
by Andy Lambkin
Last year I spent about 8 months in Psalm 145. Like a broken record, the Spirit kept skipping my heart back to the same passage. There was much he was speaking to me about life and leadership through these ancient words of David. One section in particular though ended up as a lasting refrain in my spirit.
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
~Psalm 145:15-16
As I reflect on the words, even today the image that comes to my mind is that of a cluster of tiny birds, stuffed in their grass nests, with necks craned as they look for their mother to provide them with food. At the proper time, she always does.
As a church planter in an increasingly secular city sometimes this image is all I have to go on. The work can be slow and discouraging and yet there is this promise that like these birds, at the proper time, the Father will supply everything that is needed. My main task is to ensure that my eyes continue to look to him.
Remarkably, as my neck cranes, I find him to be always true to his word. At the right moment, he gives me just enough to carry on. Just enough signs of new life. Just enough evidence of renewal in the hearts of the faithful. Just enough to assure me he is with me.
Take for instance the time a couple of months back when, discouraged that little seemed to be happening on my street, a neighbour knocked on my front door asking if we could start to talk about the 'big guy'? Or, this Spring when it looked like I was going to be forced to take a pay cut, and the church rallied to raise their giving? Or how about the three in our home this past weekend, all new believers, who talked about getting baptized? OR what about the word from one of the churches about their recommitment to each other and the work of the gospel?
At the proper time, all of these stories have proved to be 'just enough' from the Father to keep me persevering. And I have the hunch that the 'just enough' is also part of his plan. While my heart longs for a buffet of blessing, it's the just enough that keeps me dependent, eyes fixed, always craning to him for more. This, I'm sure, is exactly the posture he wants from me.
I love the simplechurches. I love this incredible group of people that I get to minister with. I love serving this way. I love it that I spend my days equipping the saints, while doing the work of the evangelist. I couldn't dream of a better thing to do. And as I do, I have the faith to believe that the Lord is establishing something here in this city; something that at this proper time, is important. On the radar of significant kingdom movements, 70 people tucked into five homes, might not appear as a very important blip on the screen. However, when I look with 'Spirit eyes' I'm confident that something of great Kingdom significance is underway. God is doing something, at this time, that is of great importance. This I believe to be true.
We covet your prayers, in calling this to life. Every force of the enemy has set itself out against us. Yet as we partner with your prayers, we can be confident that 'he who is in us is greater than he that is in the world'.
Thank you for cheering for us. Thank you for praying for us. Our gait gets stronger as we sense your presence in the crowd that surrounds us.