I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.
– 2 Timothy 1:5
I enjoy being on the water. There is no doubt that a peace comes when we simply stand and enjoy the water. There is also a strength that I appreciate. A potential that is powerful as well as life giving. In the calmness of the water there is also a significant amount of expectation and ability.
It doesn’t even matter what water I’m on. An ocean, the Great Lakes, mountain lakes, rivers, ponds or creeks, there is just something about bodies of water that draw me in.
Water is fascinating because of its fluid properties in that there is a serene effect while also possessing so much capability. I don’t think it’s any surprise that we find so many life giving verses in the Bible that use water as an example of the greater spiritual truth. From the cleansing ability of water to the life-giving capacity, Jesus describes our faith in Him in terms of having rivers of living water flowing from our hearts.
Water draws us in, a focal point inviting us to enjoy what it has to offer. How many times in your life have you thrown a rock into a pond simply to watch the ripples? Ripples that emanate in multiple consecutive rings of motion upon the surface. What started with a small rock in your hand disrupts the normal. Far from being localized, those multiplying rings continue to grow bigger and bigger and bigger.
That’s what I see happening when we live out our faith. One word, one action, one decision can be the rock that disturbs the lifeless normality of this world. When we intentionally make Christ the Rock in our life, our actions will always affect those around us just like ripples in water.
Conversely, when we sow seeds of division and destruction through our words and actions, those too will have an affect on those around us.
When our personal faith and Christ-centered intentionality looks like throwing stones, imagine what the church can look like. Thousands of consecutive impacts, each causing ripples that overlap each other all in the name of Jesus.
It’s like watching a lake during a rainstorm. The entire surface has become alive. Ripples everywhere, unique to themselves, but overlapping in beautiful changing movement.
In your life, what ripples are you causing? Are they positive or negative? What extended effect might they have? For Timothy, a rippling foundation was started with his grandmother and in conjunction with his mother helped shape him into the minister he became.
Sunny days are fine, but my favorite are those cloudy days. Watching a storm come in with all its power and might never gets old. And when the raindrops begin to make ripples I am always reminded of the potential power the Church has.
Jason Metz, lead Pastor
