I just found out today that the campus at Mountain View did not watch Kev’s sermon…so no WONDER I was at the main campus…and you are still wondering if God speaks in this day and age? (Remember, God told me to go to the main campus. If not, you must go back and read yesterday’s post :-)!
As far as my title…I will now share the end of my story real quick…really! No, I do promise this time for I need to do some other things…but you are distracting me.
After P. Kev left the stand…the worship band came back up and led us in the “Shine” song – at least I am pretty sure that was the song. During this song…as a few of us Lone Rangers stood up – but I was okay with that for I wasn’t there for anyone else but God!…okay maybe a little self-conscious at first but after a few moments didn’t care…back to the song. During the song, they – the electronic people (sorry I don’t know your official title) – started to raise the blackout screen that had been blocking the huge stain glass window at the back of the church. And as the screen raised, so did the “Hope”…literally. I really wish they would have gotten this on the end of P. Kev’s sermon. It was soooo cool – for this big white banner with the word “HOPE” spelled vertically was slowly lifted up as the light from the windows poured in… talk about dramatic affect!
Needless-to-say I was definitely on a “high” as I left church, plugging in my iPhone so I could listen to Shawn’s “Rise” (my new favorite artist for the moment). And as I started my drive back down to Mountain View, I heard a text come in from a friend. I wish I could say that it was an uplifting text – one that would maintain my elation of the moment…but it was the exact opposite. It was one of those texts that caught me off guard. It quickly closed the light off that I had been seeing…and plummeted me right back into the depths of despair, one of those little jerks as the roller coaster is trying to edge forward out of the tunnel, but momentarily drops backwards ever so slightly…except this one was a little bit bigger than a centimeter…more like a couple meters.
Yes, once again I was surrounded by the Eclipse of the Son…my “Hope” put on momentary vacation as God showed me once again that I wasn’t even close to getting out of this time…of showing me that perhaps more “desolation” is approaching…so HE and I can truly see what is in my heart.
Have you ever had one of these times? A “Job” time when you are doing everything right, when everything is going good and you are feeling good…and then boom – all the sudden the gravity of your situation starts pulling you backwards just when you feel you are getting closer to the top? When you thought you might be getting close to the surface, only are further down than you thought?
What do you do in these times? Are you tempted to throw the towel in and give up – say “forget it God”? Or do you persist forward even in the blinding dark as you stumble to once again get your footing as your eyes adjust to the darkness?
Would you let me make a suggestion based on experience? If you will, I would suggest this: I think this is a really good time to let Mount St. Helens explode…not at anyone…just at God. Let Him know that you don’t get it…that you are fed up and hurting and just plain tired…and that you are wanting to throw in the towel. Go ahead, He can handle it…for He is patiently waiting for the bubbles deep in your soul to come to the surface and explode …for as I have mentioned this is when real healing begins.
It’s like pouring Hydrogen Peroxide on an “ouchy”, where you know if you see a lot of bubbles rising to the surface that you are getting all that dirt and grime and possible infection out…because if you don’t get it out you might have to do something more drastic and much more painful. So go ahead – get it out with those tears…because if you keep it in, God might have to do something more painful to help you get all that dirt and grime and possible, most definite infection out. And this is once again where God can bring you back to “HOPE”.
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
After P. Kev left the stand…the worship band came back up and led us in the “Shine” song – at least I am pretty sure that was the song. During this song…as a few of us Lone Rangers stood up – but I was okay with that for I wasn’t there for anyone else but God!…okay maybe a little self-conscious at first but after a few moments didn’t care…back to the song. During the song, they – the electronic people (sorry I don’t know your official title) – started to raise the blackout screen that had been blocking the huge stain glass window at the back of the church. And as the screen raised, so did the “Hope”…literally. I really wish they would have gotten this on the end of P. Kev’s sermon. It was soooo cool – for this big white banner with the word “HOPE” spelled vertically was slowly lifted up as the light from the windows poured in… talk about dramatic affect!
When you get to the bottom is when God can start the healing!!!
Absolutely true! Thank you so much for your comment and encouragement!