TENT PEGS

5 churches, 500 people in 5 years!! Who was the genius who thought of that? I often ask myself whether we have bitten off more than we can chew! Then God reminds me that He was the genius and “Yes”, it is impossible for us to do on our own. That’s what makes it so exciting. This is His vision and, if we give Him complete freedom in our lives, He will achieve it in His way, through us His church.

A few weeks ago a word was brought to the leadership that again confirmed to me that God was the one who would bring the increase but that we had an important and vital part to play. In the word God reminded us of a scripture He spoke over CLC a few short years ago from Isaiah 54:2: “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.” (NIV)

The word went on to say, “As our tent (CLC) gets bigger, it needs everyone to have a tent peg firmly embedded in the ground for the tent to stay standing through the winds and storms. We must be standing firm, anchored in God our rock. We must be firmly grounded in him and his word, then the Holy Spirit can move through the tent. One tent peg alone or just a few pegs can’t hold the tent up especially as it enlarges. Everyone must get their pegs through the cords and into the ground. Whether you’re a peg in the main guy ropes or in one of the smaller ropes, each has a role in keeping the shape and stability of the tent.”

Whilst I have never seen myself as a peg before I am excited that I can be part of a church where the Holy Spirit wants to move in power! If that means getting dirty as I dig myself into the soil of God’s Word and feeling the pressure as I take on the strain of the guy ropes as He moves in power, then a peg I will be!! What about you? We need a lot of pegs.

Tony Marrett