my Encounter

The whackednutcases (refer to previous post) and I were enlisted to help in the worship team during the Lundu ANUGERAH camp last weekend. On the last night of the camp, there was a session called Di Ruang TakhtaNya (In His Throne Room in English) It basically consisted of 2 hours of unabashed, raw, passionate worship. There was no preaching by any person. Just God ministering to His people. It was 2 words: SIMPLY MAGNIFICENT.

We did a bunch of whacky stuff that evening. We "joget-ed" to the song Yesus Kekasih Jiwaku (Jesus, Lover of My Soul) and even used pails and buckets to substitute the non-existent "gendang". As my eyes roamed the assembly, I could see joy and laughter radiating from the faces of the campers. It indeed felt great to praise the King of Kings. It felt like it could go on all night.

Around about August last year, Aunty K taught the church worship team about worshiping in SPIRIT and in TRUTH. She said that as the Spirit led us in worship, there will come a time during which the music will slowly fade and there will just be silence and stillness. Not an awkward kind of silence, but the kind of stillness in which we hear God's voice. Still and small. That's when we reach TRUE WORSHIP.

That evening in His Throne Room, we experienced just that. The band (3 guitarists) just simultaneously and unanimously died down. The singing ceased and the music faded completely. All was still and quiet except for sounds of a few people weeping. There was such peace there that night. No one could deny that God was in our midst. Still and small was His voice ministering to the hearts of His people.

Genesis 22
Ps. Ned came up and spoke about the faith that Abraham had. After having waited for decades just for a son, he was asked to lay Isaac, his world, on the altar as an offering to God. Imagine waiting for something (or in this case, someone) you've wanted for so so sooo long and finally getting it only to be asked to lay it down again. Tough stuff. Nevertheless, Abraham bucked up and laid Isaac on the altar before God in faith. Instead of losing his world, he gained an inheritance. Obedience to God can bring about great things.

God spoke to me that night. He placed me in Abraham's position (minus the son, back problems and long beard.) He challenged me to lay down my "world" at the altar. To surrender my hopes and dreams for the future at the feet of Jesus. He reminded me, too, that my offering was not laid on an altar of stone or wood but rather in the hands of the One True God. But God doesn't take everything from us without promising us better things. His promise to me was this: If I were to surrender everything, He would reveal things to me beyond my wildest dreams and ambitions. He would use me in ways more amazing than I can begin to imagine. He is faithful and His promises are true. IF AND ONLY IF I were obedient, His promises won't let go of me.

After hearing this, I was extremely refreshed. God rocks! No matter how distant we feel from Him, He never really is far because He promises never to leave us nor forsake us. His word that night gave the assurance that He's not done working in me and through me YET. He sees our imperfections and accepts us as we are. That's amazing grace.