Inchoate

I’ve done a lot of extra reading during this strange time in quarantine, and one thing I’ve always enjoyed about that is learning new words. A new one I learned this week is “inchoate.”

in·cho·ate/inˈkōət,ˈinkəˌwāt/adjective: inchoate: Just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary.: "a still inchoate democracy.”

You could use the word to describe a project: “The lump of clay was an inchoate piece of art.” Or you could use it to describe a thought: “He had an inchoate idea, not fully formed but on the tip of his tongue”.

Right now, I feel that we are in an inchoate moment in history. Life feels suspended. The normal rhythms of our lives have been halted and we are all finding out what this new, but temporary, normal looks like. Our day to day is rudimentary in it’s form and we aren’t really sure what the end looks like.

It’s interesting that this has aligned with the season of Lent - a time of reflection and making our hearts ready for the observance of Jesus’ triumphant return from the grave. A time when we “give things up” and go without. It’s as if we’ve all been made to sit in our tombs, and wait in this rudimentary, inchoate moment for the next thing.

Here’s the thing though: it’s only rudimentary to us.

He goes before us and behind us.

Always.

He knew this was coming before we did and He knows what the end is going to look like. Good can come from our seclusion if we open our ears and hearts to what it is that He wants to speak to us.

A favorite author of mine, Pete Greig, wrote in his book How to Pray, “Sometimes to start we must stop. To move forward we must pause.”

Many of us on staff, and within the congregation, have felt God speaking revival. Historically, revivals have started when God’s people agree to be quiet, pursue His voice, and ask Him what it is that He wants to tell us.

It would be so easy for us to become distracted with our technology. (Believe me, I’ve been there this week; trying to home school and keep up with work). But we need to be disciplined and make a point to put all of that away because this season smacks of the intentionality of a master planner. Something greater is afoot. Aslan is on the move. We have the choice to put a screen in front of our face or we can choose to look at this time as an opportunity to become fully present with the Almighty; so that our scattered senses can recenter themselves on God’s eternal presence.

What will it look like when all of this is over; when we emerge from our tombs? When the inchoate moments become coherent?

Will have used our time wisely? Will we be waiting expectantly for a move of the Holy Spirit?

During this season - as an invitation to join us, and as a means of preparation for what comes next - we will be providing you all with some ideas for prayer. The following idea is one of my favorites since we can practically do it with social distancing in place. It comes from the website prayercourse.org/toolshed, entitled How to Prayer Walk. The idea is to intentionally walk your neighborhood and streets praying God's victory over them and our neighbors and asking for his guidance in reaching them. Here’s a quick description from the website:

“One of the most effective forms of spiritual warfare is prayer-walking. Inspired by God’s promise to Joshua, we can walk the victory of Jesus into every part of our neighbourhoods, cities and nations. In faith we walk, believing that as the soles of our feet hit the ground, we are appropriating the work of Jesus over the principalities and powers influencing the atmosphere and shaping the narratives of our city. Each step we take in Jesus’ name, we weaken something of the enemy’s grip in the Heavenly realms and subvert the systems of evil and injustice. Prayer walking thrusts us out of our church buildings, forcing us to resist the temptation to stay inward-focused, stirring us to keep the mission front and centre. It engages all our senses, rousing us to cry out to God - as we walk with defiant hope into every crack and crevice of our cities. While we walk in victory, and therefore pray in victory, let us remember the way that victory was won – sacrificial, self-emptying, love.”

I would encourage you to read the whole article, but, how awesome would this be? Just like in the book of Nehemiah, we can take part in going out and surveying “the walls” - the streets of our communities - and praying for God to start his work and to show us and our neighbors His power. As you step out of your front door, know that the feet of the Nazarene will be next to you. He’s strapping his walking shoes on right now.

Let’s go, people of God!

~ Our omniscient Father, we submit ourselves to waiting and waiting well. We open our ears, slow our breaths, still our thoughts, and focus on your presence during this time. We commit to pursuing your heart and hear your call for revival. Lead us higher up and further into your presence. Like an expectant mother, let us use these unknown, inchoate moments to purposefully wait with eager anticipation and pursuit. Let revival come!

Amen