Isaiah 61:1
......He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted.......
The room was bathed in candlelight, as the music filled ears and hearts.
Heads bowed and eyes closed, each person there was covered with the Spirit of God, as He moved gently through the room.
Simple message spoken....
The Jesus that was born on that night long ago in Bethlehem, was the same Jesus that was still offering a new way to live. A life that was beyond the pull and darkness of addiction. A life that was filled with direction and empowerment by His Holy Spirit. Hard to explain but easy to receive by faith.
When you have spiraled downward for more time than you care to mention, the possibility of a new way to live is like water to a dying, thirsty person.
Hearts receiving a gentle prodding from the Spirit. "Come to me....Come to me...And I will give you life, and rest, and a new way to live." Dark voices counter with "It's not real...you know it is just emotions that you are feeling...there's nothing to this God-stuff!" The ebb and flow of a battle older than we can fathom or understand. In the end, God's Spirit triumphs over the flesh and sin. Hands are raised in an acknowledgment that they choose to turn will and life over to the care of God.
Such was the scene last Saturday evening as we held our candle light service at Vineyard Recovery Church. I've done a lot of services over the years, but I can truthfully say that this one ranks right up there. It was an evening where you knew with your heart that God was at work in the room. It wasn't anything to do with me or anyone else who is in leadership at VRC. The worship was....was.....well, to tell you the truth, I don't have words to describe it. I probably could use words like "Anointed" or "heavenly"...but such would pale in comparison to what really took place. Debbie Handy, Liz Wood and Carrie Elrod were our worship leaders that night, and the three offered themselves and their voices as they lead us into the meeting. Three distinct voices all blended into one harmony of worship.
The message was pointing to a decision that we all must make, using the shepherds who received the proclamation of Jesus' birth. After the angels left, the shepherds decided to go see for themselves this babe that had been born, so they made haste (that's biblical for "got to it") to find this baby. We've been given the good news that this babe grew to be a man...gave his life to pay our sin-debt, and now stands to offer to anyone who would come after Him, life now and life eternal. But we each have to go see for ourselves. It's not enough to stand around and talk about it. It's not enough to debate the finer points of salvation. It's time to act.
The entire evening as one of tenderness and God's presence.
We took communion together..
Then, after communion was over, God placed it in my mind to announce that we were going to take communion again...only this time, if you knew someone who was out there still trapped in their addiction...still living in that darkness....come forward and take communion for them. This time the front was flooded with people who were weeping for their loved ones. There was a collective brokenness yet, at the same time, a huge sense of gratefulness that God has not given up on any of us.
As the evening wound down,and we cleared away all the chairs and tables, I stood (once more) looking back into that room thinking to myself, "Boy God...you are something else". Grateful that He had provided a place where those who have been marginalized by society, and their own choices, could come and meet with the real-deal-God of the universe, and the Savior of all mankind. And what falls under "All"? Everyone!
God on you...
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