prison. Ruth had to glean in the fields.
Even Jesus spent 30 years as a carpenter
and stonemason.
When we view aerial shots of circles
cut into grain fields, we can discern
THE
beauty and design. But on the ground,
their appearance just looks like “going
MINISTRY
around in circles.” Even the little ditty
we used to sing never seemed to get us
anywhere: “She’ll be comin’ ’round the
mountain when she comes. She’ll be
OF THE
comin’ ’round the mountain when she
comes.” Did she ever get around that
C
mountain, and was she anywhere worth-
IRCLES
while when she got there? We smile at
that, but it is often a little too close to
the truth of our experience for many of
us. Our culture is consumed with con-
by Mark Hisle
stantly having something new and fresh.
Unfortunately, the church has embraced
that too. Once in a while, God does
bring something new (Isaiah 43:18-19).
But most of life is lived in the circles. If
we always have to have something new,
we never grow deep and mature.
OBODY LIKES the idea of Jesus’ name (Colossians 3:17). Mothers
Victory Through the Circles
N
“going around in circles.” care for children. Employees work anoth- Consider Joshua’s battle of Jericho
The concept generally er day. Marriage partners do all the little (ch. 6). Victory was found by “going
carries a negative conno- things that keep a house going. Even pas- around in circles.” The people were not
tation, especially when it tors make a lot of circles. They pray, allowed to even talk. Joshua had silenced
relates to life purpose. It conveys the idea speak two or three times a week, and their unbelief. Had they been allowed to
that a person has no sense of direction attend to all the activities that go on speak, it’s possible they would have griped
and is not going anywhere. The fact is, week after week. Ordinariness can about the “stupid circles.” Their experi-
however, most of us will probably spend become one of life’s biggest challenges. ence teaches us that miraculous moments
some days in the circles. The real danger We so easily forget that it is often in do come. However, it is often after long
is that we might miss the lessons to be making the circles—and trying to make periods of “going around in circles.”
learned in those seasons. the best circles possible—that God shapes Paul experienced this as well. His
character. In fact, how well we do in the burning heart’s desire was to preach in
Ministry in the Circles
circles may determine whether we ever Rome. He made it to Rome, but he spent
Consider Israel’s 40 years in the reach the Promised Land. Though a gen- two years there under Roman protective
wilderness. It consisted of much circle- eration perished in the wilderness, Caleb custody (house arrest). During this time,
going. While it is true that it resulted and Joshua were eventually able to break he ministered to those who came and
from their disobedience, it is also true out of the circles. It came, however, at wrote much of the New Testament. Had
that for 40 years this was what God called the price of 40 years of faithfulness in the he squandered his ministry in the circles,
them to do. One might even consider it midst of judgment for a rebellion they the world would have missed his greatest
their “ministry.” Sometimes, we go in cir- had not even participated in. Great men contribution, his writings—a ministry he
cles because of our disobedience. But and women of God have always had to did while in the circles. During his life,
quite often, it is the expression of our learn that there is ministry in mundane he learned to be “well content with
faithfulness. We do the same things day things. David spent days with the sheep. weaknesses” (2 Corinthians 12:10,
after day, giving our best and living in Joseph lived in Potiphar’s house and in NASB). We always define faith in terms
24 EVANGEL • MAR 2009
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