For several years now, at some point during the year, a "theme" has taken shape in my life. For instance, one year the theme was, "Who Am I and What Do I Know?" (A good reminder that "it's not about me" and that, apart from Christ, I have nothing worth offering of any eternal significance.) And from that theme a new one was was easily born, "Apart from YOU, LORD, I can do nothing!" Another year my theme became, "If the LORD so wills it…" Each theme had a deep personal meaning and left a lasting impression.
Then, last year, I was given the word "RADICAL" (a whole year ahead of time) for the theme at Roxbury Holiness Camp, where I had been asked to give two morning messages. RADICAL became "the word of the year" as I was hyper-vigilent to anything and everything to do with RADICAL and as I quietly waited for the Holy Spirit to reveal the direction my two messages would take.
Well, once the two sermons had been delivered and I was on my way home, I considered the fact that I could now let "RADICAL" rest, but I quickly realized that might not ever again be possible. RADICAL is indelibly written on my heart and mind and I am determined to become, in every way, a RADICAL Woman of God. I'm not sure I can, or want to be, satisfied with anything less.
So, fast forward a month and I am asking the LORD to give me a new word just the same. Again, I wait patiently, knowing that it will be revealed in His time and not my own. And sure enough, this morning as I walked through the halls of Messiah Village I greeted a professional with my customary smile and super-sized "Good Morning! How are you?" And I was rewarded with nothing more than a cursory and almost curt, "Fine," as she went on about her business. Immediately a word came to mind... "RECIPROCITY." (How do I know it was from the LORD, you might wonder. Well, I knew it when my first question was, "LORD, couldn't You at least have given me a word I can pronounce?")
I have no idea where this journey will take me, but within the first couple of hours I was recognizing instances of genuine RECIPROCITY and I have certainly been reflecting on the significance of the word this evening with many questions. Surely I experienced some of the opposite, as well, and there will be just as much, if not more, to learn from that. I think I might just become RADICALLY excited about RECIPROCITY!
