It was a good walk

Before service starts, I like to take a walk outside. Leave the iPod in the office, leave the phone as well. This is my time with God to talk to Him about the night. The normal stuff (bless the service, use me, let our visitors at 412 feel welcomed, etc.) but this time I got quiet. I found an old broken bench that was just thrown out in a clearing randomly. Beside it was a small tree/shrub. I laughed & asked God what He was trying to get me to see. The more I looked at the tree the more I looked at it's frame. It didn't have all the pretty leaves. It was missing any fruit or seeds. It just had it's frame, solid branchy & still. That's when God told me something new. He told me that He wanted that out of me. That I should lose all the showy stuff & come before Him as I am. Literally strip all the "churchy" words, the pharisee approach to ministry....& come to Him bare. What a revelation. Even without all the flashy green leaves or blossoms, that tree is alive & it's roots are gaining strength. That's how God wants us to be with Him, without the flashy green leaves or pretty blossoms....just us being real with Him.

It was a good walk before service.