Culture Cultivation

Another repost from my myspace blog. Hope you like it!

Lately, God has really been impressing on my spirit the idea of cultures. A couple of weeks ago as I was worshipping and feeling like I was getting nowhere, I stopped and looked around. Although I don't want to sound like Elijah, "I'm the only one left Lord!" that's how I felt. Where was the fervency that I felt in my spirit amongst my counterparts. Did anyone else in the room feel like me? When I was in the seventh grade my school suddenly decided that it was only going to go up to the 6th grade. That year my mom had to make the decision to put me into public school. I was tested and found to need placement in the advanced classes. For some reason the principal decided to start me out in general classes, however. That first quarter I attended class with students that were at their level of learning capability and I quickly learned to stoop to seem just like them. Choosing not to raise my hand with the correct answer and even purposely spelling words wrong because I didn't want to stand out. The very next quarter they moved me to the honors class. Finally I could stretch again feeling challenged by those around me to reach towards my full and unadulterated potential. What a difference my environment made.

This past week I went to a conference on healing. Boy was the environment different. Everyone was moving in rhythm with God's spirit and each had the motive to touch His heart and see His face. I found myself looking around a lot. Suddenly I realized that I wasn't alone, others wanted Him as much or more than I do. This was a different place, not a better one, just different.

So I have been drawn to what exactly is the difference? The culture is unique, the environment unusual to me. I had been placed in a different petri dish, so to speak. You know I found that in order for a scientist to separate a single cell from its surroundings, he must first dissolve the matrix keeping the cell in place. Those things that the cell clings to for support. This is not an easy process, if you want the cell to survive. Finally, with some gentle agitation the cell is free. It is then placed into an environment rich in the particulars necessary for that cell's needs. Then it begins to reproduce cells of like character and manner. But even on its own the cell maintains it prior function or purpose. My prayer is that God successfully reproduce the culture that He desires through my life.