This writing stirred me.
These are the words I perused from a partner email. He was referring to Monday’s writing.
As I read his email, my mind quickly went to John 5:4.
For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.
The word stirred is defined as; to agitate, to cause one inward commotion, disturb his equanimity.
Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines it like this; to move, to agitate or to put into action.
I began to meditate on this scripture. I thought back to the times when I have been stirred by God. Periodically, I have listened to a message or read a book and found God stirring me. Stirring me to what? To act upon the word I just heard or read.
Often you will see people in certain churches as they are being stirred by God. They may shout. They may dance. Or they may run up to the altar and give an offering. Why do they do that? God has stirred them. When he stirs us, we must act. It is our response to his stirring.
The pool of Bethesda is not the first mention of stirring in the Bible.
Exodus 35:21 says; And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him up, and everyone whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD’S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.
God stirred his people. He caused them to be willing to bring an offering for the work of the Lord. He has done this very thing to me, many times.
Exodus 35:26; And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats’ hair.
In this scripture, God stirred their heart to create. I love this! There are times God stirs my heart to write. When he does, it comes easy. In all of us, there is something God can stir up to cause us to create. It may be in business. It may be sewing. It may be painting. Whatever it is, when you feel the urge to do that, it is God stirring you. When he stirs – act.
Exodus 36:2; And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even everyone whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it:
I love this scripture too. We see here that when God stirs, he has already given us the wisdom needed to do whatever he is stirring us to do.
Haggai 1:14; And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,
God stirred their spirit to do the work of the Lord. He has stirred many of us in this manner. We see the people struggling in Africa and we must help. We see a family down the street in need, so we drop off groceries. We see a church that needs cleaned up and repaired, we volunteer to take care of it, why? Because God stirred us to do so.
You see, God has been stirring his people to action since the beginning of time. Men and women of God have been responding to his stirring ever since.
God is a God of order. He stirs, and we respond. When we respond, he blesses us. Just as it was in the book of John. Each time the waters stirred, the first one in was made whole. God is the same, yesterday, today and forever.
Did you know that your reaction to his stirring could produce wholeness? It can. More times than I can count, God has stirred me to do something. When I acted on his stirring, it has brought breakthrough for me. He is so good!
If God stirs you, pay attention to that stirring. Allow it to produce motion in you. Act on the stirring and expect God to meet you in that very place of being stirred. He is faithful. He will meet you there.
“Refuse to settle for less and press on until you have everything He has promised you and more.” – KP
