It's Time to go on a Wild Goose Chase

What's that you say?

One of the most informative and inspirational books I've read in years is Wild Goose Chase by Mark Batterson, who is the very young pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C. The Celtic Christians, according to Batterson, had a name for the Holy Spirit--An Geadh Glas, or "The Wild Goose."

You might not have imagined that following the leading of the Holy Spirit is like chasing a wild goose. In his book, Batterson weaves Biblical examples in with his own spiritual journey, making note of the learning and spiritual growth that took place along the way, and of the transformation and the change that took place as a result of following, as opposed to the feeling of being trapped or imprisoned when going your own way and making your own path.

Sometimes, says Batterson, you have to step forward in faith to see the Spirit move. He uses the example of the Israelite priests who, under Joshua's leadership, stepped into the flooding Jordan River before the waters had parted in order to cross with the Ark, as God had instructed. It was not until they put their feet into the river in a deliberate move to cross that God parted the water and made it possible for the entire nation to move forward. Likewise, in following the Spirit's lead, sometimes we need to simply step out in faith in order to know where the Spirit wants us to go.

Are you chasing the Spirit in your worship? Is your Sunday morning just a ritual, tradition and a routine or is it a meaningful experience during which God speaks to you and you hear from him? Is He invited to lead your worship experience? Are you open to God's leading you where he wants you to go?

I think our church needs to get back in the wild goose chase. It may not be predictable, it may require us to move forward across rivers that seem impassible, and it will most definitely take us out of our comfort zone, but here we are, a church, a body of Christ in the middle of a community that needs to know him. We claim to have been changed by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit as a result of our relationship with Jesus. If that's the case, then we need to be chasing after that same Spirit, wherever he leads. Self must get out of the way. We need to get out of the prisons we have created for ourselves. We need to have a desire to do whatever God asks us to do, whether it suits our preferences or not.

Let go, and let God.