Flexibility

Life in the Kingdom (where God's Spirit is present and at work) is about flexibility.

Flexibility.

Moving in other directions than the plans...and perhaps suddenly.
Going where it seems God will have to "show up" to make it happen.
Doing the unusual....like water walking, manna munching, giving life in lifeless places.

Flexibility.

Stepping out of the controlable into the trusting.
Casting seed (that disappears) into the soil for the impact of much later.
Doing what even seems foolish to gain a later magnificence.

Flexibility tends to purify the soul, increase dependence and welcome God's Spirit.

And on the other side of the spectrum it works just the opposite.
The "got it all figured out," tends to extinguish the listening ear.
The inflexibility of the plan can tend to reduce the best energy from our hearts.
The "have it under control" tends to dampen heart fervency.

Jackie and I lived in this first realm this past weekend. Doing a marriage weekend with folks from Timberline Church - Fort Collins - we prepared very hard...days of thought and prayer and writing and re-writing until a 30 page "script" emerged for the five sessions we would lead. We would do the weekend in tandem.

One hour before it was to begin we both knew suddenly that this was not the way to go. Hard moments, panic...then the decision to trust, to go very flexibly, openly, listening as best as possible to the Spirit.

We went to the first gathering feeling totally dependent on God. In most of the sessions this was the strategy that prevailed...and it was an incredible weekend. Riveted attention, tears, open hearts, reality, growth, friendship, love.

Some points of our reflection:
1. Thanks be to God that we heard His voice and changed gears.
2. Thanks be to God that we prepared so hard, because it made flexibility more substantive.
3. Thanks be to God for His evident purposes far beyond our words and plans.

May you and I walk today in the flexibility of His Spirit...preparing for the tasks at hand, and then heeding well to His texts and twitters.


It is truly an upside down kingdom.