Taking Over the Space
January 10, 2008
Greetings, Prayer Team!
A man who lives in Walla Walla visits my office from time to time, and stands out in the building’s entrance playing his harmonica. In the beginning, he played for our predecessors. Now, by some grace or fortune we don’t deserve, he comes truly for us, playing whatever favorites we might request.
Our harmonica man owns this territory—his music takes over the space simply by existing. I stop everything when he comes. Thomas, our College Place trust officer, stops everything as well and sometimes even interrupts his meetings to come out and listen to “Shenandoah”. We listen, ask for another song, and talk for a few minutes before he goes on his way.
He plays at the courthouse, too. He likes the acoustics there, and takes over that space just as surely as he takes over ours. He has learned that before he plays, he needs to make sure there is not a trial taking place so that he does not distract people during the proceedings.
As I listened to him this morning, it occurred to me how much a part of this place he has become. If he’s around longer than we work here, he will make friends with and play for the next people. Worlds are open to him, simply because he walks into places with a small harmonica.
God’s promises to us are the same way. When the children of Israel entered the promised land, they had an active role in receiving God’s gift. Unfortunately, they didn’t receive the whole thing, because they got scared (or lazy) and stopped short.
Opportunities to receive God’s gifts and promises surround us in our offices, homes, schools, and even capital campaigns, thousands of years after the Canaan conquest. God still invites us to be active in His service; He still says to us, “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.” Joshua 1:3
Are there places the soles of your feet could go today that would bring God’s promises to life for you?
On behalf of Patsy Wagner,
Heidi C. Corder