Harvest Muskoka's Blog

So what are we all about at Harvest Muskoka? What is it that will make us distinct from any other gathering of people? It is only the presence of God. It's not my preaching, Eric's guitar playing, our building or even the love we show each other ... if we are looking for earth shattering, window rattling, life changing Sundays where people are impacted, marriages are healed, prodigals come home and lives are changed forever - it only happens if God goes with us.  

What makes a church distinct and powerful is God showing up in His glory - working and revealing Himself in spite of our limitations. What will make Harvest effective in Muskoka is His presence working and doing for us what we can't do for ourselves.

Our little brick gymnasium with uncomfortable chairs and snakes painted on the walls is the furthest thing from the splendour of the Rocky Mountains and yet when we seek God's manifest presence his glory is revealed.

So as we move forward may our church be a place:

• where there is expectant prayer before, during and after the service for God's healing and working in lives.
• where people hear authoritative preaching from the Word and God reaches into their hearts and they leave changed.
• where there is passionate and expressive worship with voices loud, hands raised, hearts moved and Jesus' Name lifted high.
• where people are being saved from every walk of life.
• where love abounds, forgiveness flows freely, and needs are met.
• where people gather in small groups in relationships of grace and truth to stir up, spur on and support the weight of walking with God.
• where leadership actually leads ... and listens, learns and loves people while strongly and passionately seeking God's will.
• where gratitude and generousity overflows and the poor, the alien, the imprisoned, the widow and the orphan are cared for and never neglected.
• where more people are trained and on mission.

Many of those walking through the doors each Sunday at church are carrying, what can be at times, an unbearable weight – the weight of a prodigal son or daughter.   The ache for these dear ones is like no other. The prodigals may hurt them and disappoint them, and yet they cannot stop loving their prodigal.

Many of these parents feel alone or lost and wondering if they are the only ones carrying this pain.  And countless of them have felt the sting of judgment as they come to church looking for love, support and help only to get a sideway glance or a discouraging comment on their parenting skills.

This past week we gathered together a group of parents with prodigals to pray and connect with others who understand.  As I heard them pray I was struck with the undeniable feeling that a parent of a prodigal might be grasp prayer better than anyone I have ever prayed with.  Not because they are great orators.  Not because they have a gift of prophesy that enables them to see what the future holds for their son or daughter.  Not because they are theological giants.  They are champions of prayer because they cry out to God from a heart that is broken.  And they connect with God, the Father of prodigals, in a very deep and genuine manner. 

The night was filled with tears of those calling out as they brought their prodigals to the cross of Christ.  Groups of parents knelt at the cross, where the mingling of their own utter helplessness and God's total power to intervene was heard in honest and heartfelt prayers. Together they placed their prodigals in the hands of our all-loving and all-powerful Heavenly Father and clung to very real hope that God, as a prodigal parent, understands and is in control.

When we had finished praying and crying together many expressed that they had no idea that so many others were struggling with in the same way, had never felt this kind of support before, and that they had never been a part of such a powerful night …

… and personally, I also can’t remember a greater time of prayer. 

Living by His Grace, 
Kaj