(no subject)
This Sunday in church I was sitting in my usual spot in the front row on the left side. I prefer there because if I'm further back, I always feel like there's a seat between me and God. Plus I like leg room, and there's (nearly) always lots of free seats in the front row. :-3 If I'm sitting in the back at the computer, I always feel like there's a computer between me and God. And that, unfortunately, is a reflection of my spiritual struggle, too. If I don't watch myself carefully, I'll find that I've spent the whole church service planning the next stage of the lighting program or something else involving computers, and not even thought about God or heard a word of the sermon, etc. I don't like that, so I'm careful, and I avoid the computer when I can. Kind of ironic, really. I'm in charge of the computerized lighting system. Ah well, I've learned that I can't cut computers entirely out of my life, but I need to keep God first and foremost, before computers or anything else.
Anyhow, I was sitting in the front row, and Pastor had just gotten to the "alter call", the part of the sermon where he invites anyone who feels called to come up to the altar (as they call the railing right in front of the stage...not sure why) and talk to God. Not that you can't talk to God from your seat, or anywhere else in the world, but there's something about going up in front of everyone. You can't hold on to your self consciousness, you can't hold on to anything...you have to take a deep breath and say "Okay God, I'm mortified, but it doesn't matter; all that matters right now is You". And bam, you can feel the presence of God. Again, not that you can't other times, but that right there is one sure-fire way. At least for me (and most people, apparently).
Anyhow, the pastor had just gotten tot he alter call, and a little girl came up quickly while he was still speaking and knelt on my end of the railing, body language shouting both embarrassment/fear and desperation. I couldn't take my eyes off her, and I felt God tell me to pray with her. Some people hear God speak to them as a physical voice. Some people see powerful images. Still other people have visions in which He shows them things. I don't, I...I'm not really sure. I think Sam said it best: "You just know in your knower." That's how it is with me. When God speaks to me, I just know. I feel a little tug in my soul to do something, stamped with a "Sincerely, God" in absolutely un-ignorable letters. :-3
So I went up there and knelt next to her and hugged her, and she told me brokenly about her uncle. So I prayed with her about that, and she seemed to be comforted by not having to pray alone. And then there was a bit of silence while I felt she was praying on her own. Then she asked, really hesitantly, if I would pray for her family. So I prayed with her about her family. And then there was another pause. And we talked a little bit about her family, and I prayed for her. And then there was a long pause while I felt she was praying on her own. And then she said she had a question. I asked what it was. And she asked if it was okay to go back to her seat. That still makes me smile. We laughed about it and she want and hugged the people she was staying with (I assume?). It was a wonderful experience. She happened to glance my way, and she smiled at me. Later she came up and hugged me and thanked me for praying with her. It was a wonderful experience.... *happy sigh*
Anyhow, I was sitting in the front row, and Pastor had just gotten to the "alter call", the part of the sermon where he invites anyone who feels called to come up to the altar (as they call the railing right in front of the stage...not sure why) and talk to God. Not that you can't talk to God from your seat, or anywhere else in the world, but there's something about going up in front of everyone. You can't hold on to your self consciousness, you can't hold on to anything...you have to take a deep breath and say "Okay God, I'm mortified, but it doesn't matter; all that matters right now is You". And bam, you can feel the presence of God. Again, not that you can't other times, but that right there is one sure-fire way. At least for me (and most people, apparently).
Anyhow, the pastor had just gotten tot he alter call, and a little girl came up quickly while he was still speaking and knelt on my end of the railing, body language shouting both embarrassment/fear and desperation. I couldn't take my eyes off her, and I felt God tell me to pray with her. Some people hear God speak to them as a physical voice. Some people see powerful images. Still other people have visions in which He shows them things. I don't, I...I'm not really sure. I think Sam said it best: "You just know in your knower." That's how it is with me. When God speaks to me, I just know. I feel a little tug in my soul to do something, stamped with a "Sincerely, God" in absolutely un-ignorable letters. :-3
So I went up there and knelt next to her and hugged her, and she told me brokenly about her uncle. So I prayed with her about that, and she seemed to be comforted by not having to pray alone. And then there was a bit of silence while I felt she was praying on her own. Then she asked, really hesitantly, if I would pray for her family. So I prayed with her about her family. And then there was another pause. And we talked a little bit about her family, and I prayed for her. And then there was a long pause while I felt she was praying on her own. And then she said she had a question. I asked what it was. And she asked if it was okay to go back to her seat. That still makes me smile. We laughed about it and she want and hugged the people she was staying with (I assume?). It was a wonderful experience. She happened to glance my way, and she smiled at me. Later she came up and hugged me and thanked me for praying with her. It was a wonderful experience.... *happy sigh*