Some Insight from Amanda Thompson
This year I was asked to co-ordinate the Prayer ministry team at Flames of Fire, and I must admit to being a little daunted by the task and worried of what would be expected of me. If I had had to give an immediate answer it would have been: “No, I don’t think I could do that.” But in fact I was told to go away and pray about it for a while. In that time of prayer I found I was able to say, “yes”.
I am no longer surprised at how God is able to change my attitudes, my priorities and the way I think about myself. Rather I am just amazed at how willing He is to get involved with my ordinary life and challenge me to doing better, reaching higher and expecting more of Him. One of the first times I can remember Him doing this was when I was visiting my husband-to-be while he was at theological college training for the priesthood. It was Easter and I was asked, as a visitor, if I would involve myself with one of the many Easter liturgies that they practised there. The thought of this filled me with horror. I would have to stand up in front of people I didn’t know and complete a liturgy which would require me to move with dignity up the full length of the church without tripping on the steps and keeping in time with the Anglican chant. This liturgy was completely new to me, and I am not good at being dignified so my response was to say “No, I do not want to do that, thank you.” My fiancé’s Spiritual Director looked at me very directly and said: “Yes, but what would Jesus want you to do?” At first I couldn’t see that Jesus would be too worried about it, but as I took it to my prayer He showed me all sorts of things about myself. I am too worried about what I look like and how I perform. I don’t trust Him enough to carry me through difficulties. I do not love my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ enough to share in their way of worship, even looking down on them because they do things differently than me. Finally I had to say yes, because my love for Jesus required me to act lovingly and generously towards this part of the family of God regardless of my personal preferences.
So before Flames of Fire Jesus was yet again able to bring me to the point where I said yes. And I am so glad that he did. He blessed the prayer ministry team over and over again as we met with him before the main evening sessions. He gave me new, dear friends and built up a great fellowship between us on the team. He taught me so much about leadership and serving and how His grace can carry you through any difficulty. As a Team we were privileged to see the Lord blessing so many people with healing and forgiveness and filling them with his Holy Spirit. And I had come so close to not being involved!
As Flames of Fire looks to its future there are lots of decisions to be made, some costly and difficult. But I believe we must take it to our prayers and ask the question “What does Jesus want us to do?” and allow Him to challenge our preconceptions about ourselves and how we see the church. If we do it Jesus’ way then I am sure His blessings will abound and we will have all we need for the future.