Stirred!

When first called to start a house-church here, there were 2 of us. Others slowly joined us, and most were around our age. Not young! Then for a while a family joined us. And generally, we were not very young, and people come and go, though we thank the Lord for a committed core. Now we quite often have younger people (by which we mean 20s, 30s, 40s) with us. Also, we have a weekly prayer meeting and 2 Alpha courses running at Catfield.

Yesterday (Sunday), we were quite low in numbers, but the time of praise and worship was, for me, so good. A real freedom in the Spirit. Michelle was back with us, and led communion. We prayed for a lady with IBS. 

We continued looking at Haggai, an occasional series ( i.e. not every week). In verse 14, we read that leaders and people were ‘stirred in their spirit’.

They had been released from captivity (Babylon) by a conquering king (Cyrus) and he then commissioned them to go to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. We have been released from captivity (the world, its culture and dark powers) by a conquering King (the Lord Jesus), and commissioned to build the temple (the Church). We each build in different ways according to the gifting given to us, but we assemble together as a workforce (Sunday gatherings, and others) and in life, seek to build by encouraging one another, and reaching out to others with the gospel and kind words and deeds.

In Haggai’s time, the temple builders were not gathering and building, but were focused on their own homes and lives. Me, me, me! We can get a bit like that, and need stirring at times. Here, the Spirit stirred their spirits. (In other places in the Bible, we read of us stirring one another, and of stirring ourselves). We looked at being stirred by the Lord, because we can become too comfortable, and there is work to do! The people had first repented and turned to obey the Lord. He assured them that he was with them, and then stirred them. If I want some stirring from heaven, I need to be in the right place spiritually, which for me often means scheduling times to be with the Lord, and ask him to stir and equip me for the work to which I am called. And this is so for each of us.

Next Sunday, David Adams is speaking, and there will be lunch afterwards, to which all are invited. Do come.