I was reminded this week of a time the Lord spoke clearly to us through a single verse of his word to King David in 1 Chronicles 17:9. One Sunday we couldn’t meet in our usual venue, the High School auditorium, so had to relocate to Q block, a smaller building. I wrote this in the newsletter that day on 6 June, 2010.

…part of prayer is asking God to speak and guide us through his word (the primary way God speaks). Then when God provides direction, we simply obey what he says…question…”but how do I know its really God who has spoken…?” I find that God will make his word clear by matching it to situations that can only be God, then affirming it through his people. 

An example: the last time we met in Q block was late last year – it was an unexpected move we weren’t prepared for. I remember feeling at the time the difficulty associated with rented premises. That week I was doing my daily devotions and this verse jumped off the page. “I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed”. The timing of that word came as a wonderful encouragement, and as I shared it with others, it was strongly affirmed that God will provide all we need for the vision he gave us.

There’s actually more to the story, because when we arrived to set up in Q block, someone had changed the locks and we couldn’t get in. So we had to scramble and setup church in a sports hall. By some miracle we did it with minutes to spare. But the really cool thing is what was written on the front of the newsletter that day affirmed 1 Chronicles 17:9 as a promise from God for us. 

Praise God for changed locks and an inconvenience that powerfully confirmed God’s word. We look back fourteen years later from the place of fulfillment - the Lord has indeed provided. Year after year, God has led The Grove by lining up his word with our circumstances. In fact, He did it again last week.  

Last Sunday night Kris Foreman, the senior Chaplain at Grace College, filled in to preach at the 5.30pm service. The sermon was from Luke 5:1-11, the same story we shared on vision Sunday about Peter’s call. It’s a big bible, so I am confident Jesus was confirming his call to put out into the deep for a catch. That we can be expectant of an immeasurably more outpouring of God’s Spirit, resulting is many coming into God’s family at The Grove. Peter needed to call for another boat for all the fish…and so do we. 

This fills me with faith at the beginning of the new financial year, and an important week in The Grove. God is calling us to make ourselves available like those boats, for immeasurably more. We do this at our members meeting as we vote on the calling of a pastor. At our TV night as we align our teams with our vision. And on commitment Sunday when we express our calling together by bringing commitments to the budget and gifts for the kitchen fit-out to Jesus as an act of faith in his word to us. 

Grove family, let’s step out in faith together, confident Jesus is leading us by his word. 

Marty.