Reflecting

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I love the bits in the bible where God talks to himself. He is seen reflecting, deciding, wieghing things up and making decisions. You see this especially in Genesis where God is chatting to himself within the trinity about how to make man, and what he thinks of each bit of his creation work. (other examples include; Gen 11:7, 6:1-8)
Genesis says we are made in His image, and part of that image is the ability to reflect, to hold an internal discussion with ones thoughts and memories, reflecting on our daily experiences, drawing lessons and conclusions, drawing aside to listen to our heavenly father and making fresh plans with him.
My reflections this summer have drawn me to a stronger conviction of Fathers love; of his faithfulness, and of his strong desire to pour out blessings in a new season of grace.
Why should God want to bless me? Who am I that he should be mindful of me? Its not that I am more saintly or less prone to weakness, or more spiritual than others, its simply that whenever we take time (reflection & listening does take time) to hear his voice among the rattle and hum of our own inner voices, We discover he is making plans for us. And when I start to listen to those plans I start to realise afresh that Father, far from being the architect of lifes obstacles, is actually intent on my blessing. Not just mine of course; the Kingdom principle is that we are always 'blessed to be a blessing'. We recieve his love so that we have love to give away. Always God draws us out of introspection into the bigger picture, and one of the ways we experience that blessing is usually in knowing that we have been commissioned to a task. It may be an old task or it may be a new one, but like Isaiah in the temple, we feel the coals on our lips and experience a new warmth in our hearts.
Our reflections and our enquires with God will always take us on a journey. Three years ago we started a new journey with our church; The Well, Camberwell. As we reflected and prayed as a team, we felt God clearly lead us to moved the church into three large 'missional communities' that would release peoples gifts more. These have served us well and prepared us in many areas. New members and long term mebers are coming forward with fresh ideas and creative initiatives. We have only just begun the journey that God is taking us on, but its clearly a new season that reqires a cycle of reflecting, listening, shaping, acting, celebrating,and reflecting again...

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