We Can Do No Great Things

A small group of us here at New Hope have been going through Francis Chan's "The Forgotten God" book the last few weeks. The group has ebbed and flowed like all groups do nowadays, as people have lives to live. We've had so many we ran out of chairs and we've had a few. But every week those of us who gathered gained insight - into the work of the Holy Spirit, and into the hearts of the others in the room. That's why I love small groups in the home.

The book has caused us to wrestle with some pretty big concepts and I think realize one singular thing - that we as individuals and collectively as a church do not live up to our potential because we do not allow the Holy Spirit to lead and to flow into and through us. We say to God in many different ways "I GOT this." But we DON'T.

This past Sunday we talked about some of our fears regarding the future.

And we talked about what we have together - about what we have seen - about what God is showing us.

Reflecting on that the last two days, and praying for a "what's next, Abba?" revelation, a quote from Mother Teresa popped into my mind.

She said, "We can do no great things, only small things with great love."

As I think about New Hope, certain "small things with great love" came out.

• One friend, Frank Weech, drops by another's (Ian Anderson) home with some peppers, because Frank and Ian share a love of HEAT.

• One adult (Bunny) shared how much it meant to her when the girls she works with surrounded her in a hug on Sunday, and how one of them, Kira, told Bunny "I'll be your granddaughter."

• Last night the phone rings and one of our senior saints, Jewel Hughes calls wanting Laura Marston's cell number. Laura's family is moving this week, and Laura and Jewel have been prayer partners. Jewell wanted Laura to have "a little remembrance."

The brick church on the corner here will never be confused with a mega-church. We can't do the mega-things other churches do.

But we can do small things with mega-love.

And we are.