Today I did something I never expected to do while on sabbatical. Sandi brought me to Lake Itasca, a beautiful state park in northern Minnesota where I was able to see and even stand in the headwaters of the Mississippi River, the place where the mighty river begins its 2552 mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico.
What is truly amazing is that the river at this point is just 12 feet wide and a few inches deep. It's hard to imagine that such a mighty river could begin in such a simple setting. I have seen this river many times, in several different places-- the Twin Cities, St. Louis, and New Orleans-- and I realize how important this mighty river has been to our nation over the centuries since it served as the western border of the United States. It has had and it continues to have a tremendous impact on our country's life.
Visiting that place and standing in the water touched me deeply spiritually. It reminded me of how great outcomes often come from very humble beginnings, and it encouraged me to renew my commitment to developing the "total ministry" work at our congregation back home.
So often we just cannot see the importance of what we do as servants of God. When we are called by God to share our gifts in the ministry of the gospel, we may ask ourselves "What is the value of doing that? What difference will it make?" Our efforts seem so small and often inconsequential.
The truth is that most of the things we may do to serve God by serving others are very much like my experience at the headwaters of the Mississippi. We can only see their humble beginning, and it is impossible to imagine what their final outcome will be. Someone standing in that shallow creek in Lake Itasca Park might never recognize the importance of that stream. But knowing what its final destination really is, we can be thankful and give God the best we have offer.
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