We took a few friends to Arnhemland last week to hang out with the saints and see what Holy spirit had in store. Yirrkala is 1000 km by road from Darwin, so over 2 days of driving we had time to yarn, dream and listen - what did He have in mind? What purpose did He have in bringing together a team from all ends of the country? All we new was that we had an invite from an emerging Yolngu Christian leader(Yolngu = Aboriginal from NE Arnhemland), and that Holy Spirit is brooding over this region, this people, and His claim to both.
We set up camp once we arived on a beautiful stretch of beach 1km out of town, where this man had shifted his family to establish a place of His presense, and a refuge from the spiritual chaos back in the community. He is an important man in this community, and was carrying significant cultural and clan responcibilty before Jesus apprehended him. Now he has a new passion -to tell the true story about Gods love and purpose for Yolngu.
Introductions were done, and we started feeling our way through the expectations we all had for our time together. There were sick peoeple we would be praying for, but we new we were'nt great evangelists - so what would we bring to the mix. Settle back - reject fear and anxiety - just be. We're free to be ourselves in Him, and to honour and love these beautiful new friends. So we did that for a week, and every now and then Holy Spirit would say 'look - I,m doing something you could never have planned - right now'.
On the last and gratest day we went out bush for some hunting and time together. Kids, spears, flower for damper (bread), tea and water were piled into the cars and off we went. Low range over the dunes, up the whitest of beaches, awesome blue ocean, freshly speared fish and mudcrabs under swaying palms with a cooking fire underway - it was just idilic.
We senced His pleasure as we ate and laughed and fellowshipped together - worship music drifting from the speakers of the Toyata. Then our man told us how significant this very spot used to be to him - it had been a big part of the lie, and he used to believe it. Holy Spirit said notice the 3 spears driven defiantly into the sand over there - between where we were sitting and that feature in the landscape. Listen to the children laughing and playing - this is powerful - the sons really ARE free. Occupy this place and dispel darkness - just by showing up. You carry His glory and it changes atmospheres.
Just then the damper was taken from the ashes, the tea was brewed, and we decided to celebrate communion (tea = blood). Ahhh...Jesus I think you just showed us how things can change around here - freed people living in ever expanding freedom and authority. .
