40 Day Walk With God — May 20, 2014

Day 30–
TRANSFORMATIONAL EXCELLENCE

Matthew 10:42 (40-42)
I assure you that everybody who gives even a cup of cold water to these little ones because they are my disciples will certainly be rewarded.

The local distillery in Cannon County hosted a music festival last summer. The New Short Mountain Church decided to claim the event as an opportunity to reach out to the local community and express God’s presence. For two days, members of the church offered free bottles of water.

Two days after the event, Rev. Mike Womack received a call from a retired minister living in St Louis. He began sharing the story of his grandson’s relationship with the church. As with many others, his grandson left because, “the church is full of fake people.” Not only did the grandson leave the church, he also left his family. Ten years had passed since this man and his grandson had seen each other.

Unexpectedly, the grandson arrived at the house of his grandfather that very morning. Pastor Womack celebrated this news with him, but wondered why a retired Pastor from St. Louis called Centertown to share this story. After all, he had no idea who this guy was. The grandfather then asked if he could share why his grandson came to see him.
It seems his grandson had attended a music festival in Cannon County where he received a free bottle of water and an expression of grace from the New Short Mountain Church.

Something in that simple exchange of water and kindness helped restore a grandson’s faith and his life. It was more than water and a smile. God was able to work within that moment to accomplish far more than anyone could possibly imagine at the time. Mike remembers how he and this stranger from St. Louis cried and celebrated together this wonderful thing God had done.

Sometimes we are privileged to hear stories of transformation. There are those other times when we simply trust God’s capacity to enter and transform a life. The outcome is not our responsibility, but the expression is. Transformation is the work of God, which often begins in very ordinary moments; like a drink of cold water on a hot summer day. You never know when a stranger might call and say, “I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.”

Prayer:
Gracious and loving Lord, use me this day to offer to another a cup of cold water, a drink of your grace, that life might be renewed and hope restored. Praying in the mighty name of Jesus, who IS the Living Water of Life. AMEN.

The Rev. Max Mayo
Cookeville District Superintendent, Tennessee Conference