Sunrise Over The Coosa

Lamentations 3:22-24
Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassion's fail not. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I hope in Him."

Yesterday was such a good day...
A time of creating new memories to be stored, and pulled out when life gets hard.
It was a day of realizing exactly what is most important in my life.
A time to measure those things that I don't stop to think on, and about the value they bring to my life.
You see, I went to a spontaneous sunrise service, and it was wonderful.

Vicki and I used to host such a service all the years we were at the Vineyard prior to my leaving to go to Rapha. Even hosted a few sunrise services there at Rapha. But for the last five years, we haven't had such a service. On Friday, I came home with a thought stuck in my brain. So I asked Vicki, "What do you think about the two of us getting up on Sunday, filling our insulated cups with some coffee....take some worship CD's..( Yes Virginia, I still use CD's) and find us a spot to have our own sunrise service?" She jumped at the invitation. "I'd love it!" 

At church Saturday night, she asked me if I might want to invite others to join us. I said sure, why not. So yesterday morning, there were seven of us down at the city dock on the Coosa, wrapped up against the cold, wanting nothing more than to worship the resurrected Savior and to join in a corporate time of prayer. Like I said it was a spontaneous event. Nothing was planned....there were no messages to deliver...other than "HE is risen!" and the reply of "HE is risen indeed!"

Gathered there on that dock, we watched as the dark of night gave way to the first rays of dawn. Don Francisco sang, "He's Alive!"....This was followed by Keith Green's "The Victor." Members of our group sang along, as fishing boats skimmed over the waters in front of us. I wonder what these fishermen thought of us being out that early.

Lastly came EASTER SONG!! If filled the air around us as we prayed, sang and embraced the words..."Joy to the world, He has risen...Hallelujah...He's Risen...Hallelujah!"  For a brief moment in time, those of us on that dock were one. We were united in purpose and in heart as we lost ourselves in the music. Oh, I'm sure there were more elaborate services than the one that took place on that dock. I'm sure choirs and orchestras in other services brought down heaven into sanctuaries that stirred the human heart. But none was sweeter than what took place on that boat dock. Surrounded by friends...friends who had shared joy and grief together...friends united by a common call...the reality of the resurrection was born anew in our hearts. 

My desire is to take this new found passion for God and His Word with me everyday. To not take it for granted or allow it to dim because of apathy or neglect.  Like I said earlier in this post....sharing such a moment as the resurrection in a most unusual place, with incredible friends was a blessing and present that money cannot buy.

So here on Monday morning, the day after Easter...
I would proclaim that "He is still Risen.....now and forever more!"

God on you...
mbb