Last night, I attended the Spring Meeting of the Greater Cleveland County Baptist Association (GCCBA). The speaker was talking about seeing an image that changed his heart. He said, “Have you ever seen an image that just mesmerized you; an image that God used to soften and till the soil of your heart to the point you had to do something?” My heart and mind screamed “YES!”
You are probably like me and think, “Well that’s just a pile of trash.” You’d be wrong. This image was sent to me by my friend Rev. Michael Nhonya from a school in Tanzania. Those are children’s water bottles. Children’s water bottles… There was no water source at the school so they had to bring a jug or bottle of water with them if they wanted anything to drink during the day…and this is what they brought…
God used this image to push, motivate, and all but shove me into action. I HAD to do something about it. God stirred a passion in me that remains to this day. Years later and through Michael’s leadership, we’ve built many rain catching cisterns and water filters that use natural elements. This fall we completed our first bore-well at Michael’s church, the most ambitious and expensive project we’ve ever tackled.
Did I single-handedly solve the clean water crisis in Tanzania? No. But God used this image to forever change me and bring about a lot of Kingdom ministry. It will continue to shape me and mold how I help lead this church to do missions and ministry.
What’s your picture? What image has God used to stir a ministry and mission passion in you? If we are Easter People and Praise the Lord is our song, we should be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as it leads us to move.
Prayer: God, stir us to move. Help us as Easter people to be on mission. Amen.
Grace and peace,
Aaron
pastoraaronhinton@gmail.com
(704) 300-0081