We gathered together at 10am this morning at the elementary school we meet at right off the VCU campus. I'm coming off a crazy-go-nuts weekend (that's for you, Angela ;) ), being blessed right and left. To give you a VERY brief update on some of those sweet blessings, one of my supporters GRACIOUSLY addressed with me my need for a new car by letting me know that they would like to buy one for me, an amazing one that gives me more space to move around, store things, carry people and equipment, etc. I've also gotten to spend a lot of time with family & friends, getting ready for a birthday party we were planning to celebrate Ric, a very close friend and huge encouragement since I've moved here a few years ago. Saturday, about 30 0f us went to a conference by one of the authors of "Total Church," a book that's been gaining popularity that examines what it looks like to live as a gospel-centered community, rather than just a Sunday morning "church." And then I was blessed to spend Saturday evening enjoying the fellowship of good friends at Ric's party.
So back to today. After all that blessing, you'd think that no more could be possible, right?! Well, we studied in church this morning 1 Peter 3:13-22, where Peter is encouraging the people not only to endure suffering, but even in unjust circumstances to recognize that we're BLESSED to share in suffering. We're to sanctify our hearts to the Lord, empowered by the example of Christ, who ultimately suffered unjustly for sins He had not committed, but were ours.
As we practiced before the service, one of the songs we were doing as a band is a beautiful one called, "Revelation Song." Kari Jobe does an awesome version of it. As I was singing, for whatever reason, I didn't feel right in the way that it was coming across. My wonderful bandmates were encouraging, saying that it was fine, but I still was not content. After Josh taught on 1 Peter, we got back into singing our last few songs, and I had been praying all morning and then right before Revelation Song, specifically, asking Him to take over and sing it, because I just couldn't. He is so good!!! Because as soon as we started, He did! The song itself is taken from Revelation 4, the description of John seeing God as King upon His heavenly throne, and hearing the songs of the creatures and the elders being sung over and over. They say, " Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was and is and is to come." The chorus finishes out with the line "With all creation I sing praise to the King of Kings. You are my everything, and I will worship."
I literally couldn't stop shaking as we were singing it. From the beginning, I knew that it wasn't my song but His to cry out. The congregation raised their voices together and all around, as we continued to sing, the worship was led by the Spirit. Some were weeping, some laughing, some crying out, some in still awe, some shaking, but together, we had one mind and were focused on one thing... The one thing truly worthy of all our praise. The Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth. It is amazing when God moves to fill us. We were talking afterwards about how intensely we felt Him move throughout. It was NOT a matter of conjuring emotion or being content to quench the Spirit. The Lord desired that His people would see and recognize that He WAS and IS and IS TO COME! He is still the God that, when He gathers His people, He shows them wonders and miracles. In Acts 2, Luke speaks of the first church, those followers of Christ in community together, saying "Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe." Our Father does astound us, He does shake us. He desires that we recognize who He is. When God came down to Moses, Moses made haste to bow down... He fell to the floor because that is how great His God is!!!
Today, it took everything that I had not to fall down prostrate in the middle of worship. I literally clung to the microphone, as the rest of me cried out... because God was that present. He is always with us, but how beautiful to witness it with the community of people I love and cherish here in Richmond. By the end of that song, Aletheia was on the ground, staring into the face of God, His holy and magnificent and love-scarred face. In all suffering, in all tribulation, in all blessing, I will praise you, oh Lord!
I leave you with this, and an encouragement to read Revelation 4. Chew on it, know that it is truth. Ultimate reality whether our actions regard it as such or not. He is glorious, and we are called to be His body, that the nations might see and know what a great God He is!
You who fear the LORD, praise Him;
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And stand in awe of Him, all you descendants of Israel.
For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
Nor has He hidden His face from him;
But when he cried to Him for help, He heard.
From You comes my praise in the great assembly;
I shall pay my vows before those who fear Him.
The afflicted will eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise the LORD
Let your heart live forever!
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD,
And all the families of the nations will worship before You.
For the kingdom is the LORD'S
And He rules over the nations.
All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship,
All those who go down to the dust will bow before Him,
Even he who cannot keep his soul alive.
Posterity will serve Him;
It will be told of the Lord to the coming generation.
They will come and will declare His righteousness
To a people who will be born, that He has performed it.
-Psalm 22:23-31
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