I long to see God at work. I have faith that God is always at work, even when I don’t see it. I trust it and believe it to be always and forever true. Yet I still long for and hope to see visible, irrefutable signs of God’s activity. I love to give praise to God for the tangible experiences of God’s grace and celebrate these stories that build faith.
I particularly love to see God’s activity in and through the work that I am doing. While I realize that this may sound self-centered, I love affirmation that the ministry I am engaged in is helping in some way. I want to steward my life well for the Lord’s purposes. I feel a bit like a kid turning to my parent and asking, “Am I doing it right?” I think we all long for this affirmation and sense of purpose. We get this when we see God at work in big ways and small.
One of my roles is to help plan and coordinate our District Gathering. Each year I pray for the Lord to use this event to bless the mission and ministry of our congregations and their leaders. I pray for greater Gospel impact in their local communities and beyond. I truly believe that as the faithful gather together, God shows up and amazing things begin to happen. And even though I believe it, I don’t always get to see it or even hear about it.
This year I was blessed to receive the following from Jonathan Morrison of Trinity Lutheran Church in Haskell. Jonathan is a Harvest Workers student and began a pastoral internship with Trinity earlier this year. He writes:
During our first Pre-Gathering Seminar session on developing leaders with Christian Huntley, we were asked to pair up and pray for someone in our church who may be interested in ministry or growing into a leadership role. I paired up with my fellow HW Student, Kyle McGinnis. I explained to Kyle that I couldn’t really think of anyone except for this kid I had met once, but he hadn’t been back to church in over three months. I had been waiting for him to show up at church so I could get to know him and help any way I could. So Kyle and I prayed specifically for this young man to walk into church and that I would have the courage to approach him.
Since Haskell is so far from Victoria, I had not planned to make it back home in time for worship on Sunday. But after I left the Gathering on Saturday, I sensed that I needed to get home to be at church, even though I did not exactly know why. I found out why before worship on Sunday: As an answer to prayer, the young man we prayed for on Friday walked through the church door! I was so excited to talk to him and his mom. His mom told me that her son actually woke her up and asked to go to church that morning! God still answers our prayers!
Friends, God is so good! And God continues to work all around us in the world. Remember to pray for God to move and watch expectantly to see it. And like Jonathan, share the story of God’s activity so that all may see and believe!
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Pastor Bryce Formwalt is the Director of Mission Growth for LCMC Texas District and Program Director of Harvest Workers, an online ministry training program (learn more at www.harvestworkers.net). Residing in Georgetown, Pastor Bryce is available to coach congregations on mission. Please contact him with any questions or comments: 512-942-7776 or bryce@lcmctexas.org.
