The Groundswell of a City

When God put the words “the groundswell of a city” on my heart today I was unable to define what that meant. After a long day, unable to get these words, prompted by the Holy Spirit, out of my very tired brain I decided to look them up. Groundswell is defined as this: a buildup of opinion or feeling in a large section of the population.

The concept that an idea, opinion or feeling in a large section of the population can start with one tiny motion or movement. As one motion leads to the next the momentum builds, the ground swells, and all that is at the top begins to flow downward into the surrounding areas. In this example it’s a paradigm shift from one way of thinking to another.   

Christianity flows into everything we see every day and the momentum is picking up speed in our city. Not only do we love Kevin Durant because he is a great basketball player, but we love him because he stands upon the virtue of his Christian values. We love our Oklahoma newscasters, such as the Jed Castles from News 9 who isn’t afraid to post scripture on his personal Facebook page. We are seeing an uprising of Christians who are finding their voice and finding themselves unafraid to use it. As Matthew 10:32-33 tells us “Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him I will confess also before My Father who is in Heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father who is in Heaven.”

If we think of this like the earth rising up, swelling at its center, and the rocks and water at the top begin to flow down, so Christianity begins to do the same in our city. One rock knocks into another, one stream flows into the next and the momentum rushes down, ever quicker. In Amos 9 we see where Israel has been destroyed, the people have been literally “shaken” but God says he will not let His people be overtaken. He will raise them back up, the “hills shall melt” and He will restore to them what He has promised by building back up the city and leaving it to them as their inheritance. This is Israel’s message of hope and it’s also God’s promise to us. Jesus is the rock. His foundation is sure.

People desperately want hope. They have a deep, God given, longing for the peace that only comes from knowing Christ. As the ground raises and the momentum rushes upon them they do one of several things: They join in the movement, and are energized as they rush downhill. Perhaps they cling to a branch of a tree that clings desperately to the landscape or they get swept along for a time and then are caught back up again, never realizing the true nature of the power they were under. Some may only stand atop the hill asking, where is everyone going and why?

As this movement of unity in the body of Christ, this message of Agape, this idea of hope and this groundswell of change comes upon our city my sincerest hope is that we are able to be a part of the momentum (though not “being tossed here and there by the waves” Eph. 4:14), while also looking about us at all times, seeking those who might be clinging or hung up. Helping those standing at the top unwilling to move at all, through sharing the gospel of hope and showing the love of the One who is able to move mountains.

Kara Harkness, SALLT Team

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