"God Actions."

This week, my friend Aaron Baart gave me a copy of the book, Vivid. It is a book he co-authored with Syd Hielema. In the very first chapter of the book, I came across these words, "God is the subject of our verbs." For a whole week, I have been unable to continue reading, because those words alone deserve careful meditation.

Conviction
"God is the subject of our verbs." These words convict me. If God is the subject of my verbs, what kinds of verbs characterize my life? Are my verbs truly verbs that reflect God-action? Are the things I do each day God-worthy? Do they bring heaven on earth and reflect him? Will people look at my actions and see God working?

Comfort
"God is the subject of our verbs." These words comfort me. In my own strength, I am not capable of God-reflecting action. But if God is the subject of my verbs, then God is using my life, this broken and crooked stick, to draw straight and unbroken lines of grace in this world. I do not have to fear being insignificant or powerless. God is at work through me!


"God works through us."

It is God's will to use human beings as his instruments of peace. A life totally surrendered to God does not will and work on its own. A life surrendered to the Father knows boundless love and acceptance that no human being can offer.  A life surrendered to Christ is no longer enslaved to brokenness, but is married to freedom. A life surrendered to the Holy Spirit is powerful, vibrant, and alive beyond measure. A surrendered life sets the stage for God to act in mighty and powerful ways to reconcile, renew, and restore all things.

There are many things I would like to do to create flourishing and wholeness in this world. But they seem so far beyond me. It is easy to look at the dreams and visions God has given, and be discouraged by the magnitude of what needs to be done to turn those dreams into reality. But again, those words ring deeply; God is the subject of my verbs. John Eigege is small. But God is big. John Eigege isn't rich. But God has all the resources of this world at his disposal. John Eigege is broken, but God is completely whole. It is God who works in us, giving us the desire and power to do what pleases him. God is the subject of our verbs!

There are some big things coming over the horizon for our small Square Inch community. We desire to create intentional community in Houston's historic Third Ward, putting neighbors back in the "hood." We desire to work for the social and spiritual renewal of our neighborhood. We believe the gospel can breathe lasting change and transformation in this neighborhood. We want to develop college students as community leaders and unleash them to be agents of renewal in their communities, city, and world.

Big dreams! But God is the subject of our verbs. So we move forward with confidence knowing that the one who works in and through us knows how to make the impossible possible. He knows how to make dreams and visions reality. With a posture of surrender, we give God first place, knowing that when he works in and through us, our ordinary actions become conduits for the extraordinary kingdom of God to come on earth as it is in heaven.