For there is hope for a tree, when it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and its shoots will not fail. Though its roots grow old in the ground, and its stump dies in the dry soil, at the scent of water it will flourish and put forth sprigs like a plant. —Job 14:7-9
Click audio player to listen to streaming mp3. This is just a basic room recording:
Theme that came about this morning in worship: “You have set my feet in a spacious place,” from Psalm 31:8. When we are with Him, when we’re walking in constant communion with Him in the spirit, He sets our spirits in a spacious place: His eternal presence!
I saw a picture of a vast land full of life and beauty stretching out for hundreds of miles, and one person had it all to themselves to explore as they walked with God in the cool of the evening, and it created this sense that, in God, there is never overcrowding. You might be standing in an overcrowded subway train, unable to move, but in your spirit you are standing in a spacious place and you have peace because you have the mind of Christ. There is enough room in Christ for anyone who believes in Him and receives His Spirit that dwells in us. God always has a spacious place, and He always has enough time for you.
We kicked off The David’s Tabernacle Project at midnight Monday, August 4th! I was delighted to find that some people were already waiting at the church for me when I rolled up with my guitar. Connie and Jose were there ready to do some worship and prayer into the night watches! Tim Lillard joined us part way through. Here’s me, Connie, and Jose:
We broke up the three hours of worship with three separate lists of worship songs. At the end of each hour I took a 15 minute (or more in some cases) break to pick the new songs for the next hour (and also converse with someone on Facebook about a religious topic), and the folks would sit and read the Word while some quiet music played over a CD. During the worship portions, it was just me and my blue guitar. There was nothing slick or professional about it. But that was okay. We would do a few songs, then I would improvise a chord progression and we would go into a time of spontaneous worship, where instead of singing the words written in a worship song, people would sing their own words of adoration to the Lord or maybe sing the Scripture, and we interspersed that with some rather intense intercessory prayer, covering topics related to the church, the community, and the nation/world.
The three hours went by so fast that I almost couldn’t believe we had already reached the end. The Presence of God in the room was palpable. This might be difficult for me to describe and difficult for others to read without being offended or skeptical in some way, but I believe that God quite literally draws near to people in some inexplicable but physically tangible way when we draw near to Him through prayer and worship. I believe this promise is real: “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8, NKJV)
Connie did a shift earlier that evening before midnight, did another up at dawn, and Tim L. jumped in to keep the worship/prayer happening mid-morning today (Monday) and perhaps in the afternoon as well. Tonight a larger group is coming together for even more intercession, and then some fun hang-out time/fellowship! What a wonderful way to start the week!
Open Heaven. (Took this pic Sunday, August 3rd, on Highway 101 in California)
