As I write this, it is nearly 1 a.m. While it is quiet now, not that long ago my ears were filled with a beautiful, majestic sound. The sound of the redeemed worshipping their redeemer, the melody of humble hearts praying passionately to Holy God.
Since my last post, I have moved in to my dorm and started my first semester of classes at Union University in Jackson, TN. In the two weeks since move-in day, God has done so much awesome stuff. God has blessed me by surrounding me with people who adore Him. So much so, that I am humbled by their adoration of our majestic savior. Tonight though was the kind of night that makes me wish for, and anticipate heaven. It all started with a couple of guys playing their guitars on the quad. We sang a couple of worship songs, and we were simply enjoying each others company. Then God showed up.
I've come to learn that some of the most moving worship experiences come when we least expect it. I don't know about any one else, but I wasn't anticipating what ended up happening in a circle of park benches on a small, christian collge campus in west tennesse. But God doesn't always work inside of our anticipations. We can plan and prepare all we want, but God isn't a magic genie that lives in a bottle and only comes out when it is conveneint for us. If that was true, God wouldn't be God. And I wouldn't want to worship a God who was bound by our selfish whims. So sometimes, moving worship occurs when we least expect it. And tonight was one of those nights, a night where God clearly moved.
One of the girls in the group asked that we pray for something that was happening in her life, and as we entered a time of prayer, God kicked down the door to my heart and began to remind me of his awesomeness, of his amazing love for me. This is a constant struggle in my life, remebering how great, and approachable God really is. Think about it, we as God's creation can approach the throne of God with all of our junk, all of our battles, all of our brokenness and He will give us the mercy and grace we need. Sometimes it's not in ways we understand, or in the way we want the problem to be solved, but it all goes back to God being God. He knows what is best for us, even if we think it's not the best. Check out what it says in Hebrews:
"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may recieve mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16
Ever feel like God doesn't want to deal with your mess, that you have to fix yourself to appraoch the throne? That's backwards. You can't deal with your mess alone, and you can't fix yourself. You have to come before the throne before you can be fixed, before your mess can be dealt with. Because the throne of grace is where God deals with our messes. As we prayed, God dealt with me and reminded me that I need Him. All I could think about was how blessed I am, and how much God has done for me. God truly is awesome, and tonight he reminded me of that fact. As I go through this journey called life, I hope and pray that I remember tonight, that I remember the awesomeness of the God who made the universe, the beauty of the Lord who loves me, and the majesty of the Risen Savior who took my punishment for me and defeated death and sin forever.
Soli Deo Gloria!
In His Dust,
Matt
(Numbers 6:24-26)
