A Funny Thing Happened...

I have been in a bit of a spiritual funk over the past week. You can see it if you look at the time between posts. I have been focused on the Lord and relatively obedient (other than being a little grumpy), but, I have not been able to read the scripture and meditate as well as I had in the past weeks..... what was going on, I wondered.

Not reading the Word, that's what has been the primary deterent. Anne and I have had early morning work with her telephone triage work 6-8 AM two days last week and last Sunday we didn't go to church because we were doing the same work from 12-5 PM and wouldn't be back home in time for the job, so.... mainly, for those reasons, I have not been primarily focused on my devotional. But, it's not just that. Even when I had the time, I would find something else to focus on; my email, the web news, something, anything that would waste the time. Why, I wonder.

Yesterday, we made it to church, thankfully. Pastor Fran was in day two of preaching on Ephesians as the entire church is on a mission to study Ephesians through the sermon and small groups, etc.

One of my favorite themes is "Knowing Christ, knowing God" and I have often cherished how Paul and Peter and others refer to growing in the knowledge of God. Yesterday Ephesians 1:15-23 was the Scriptural reference and, once again, this verse hit me in the heart; "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better." As Fran expounded on these verses, an almost uncontrollable urge came upon me, right during the sermon, to speak up and say something. I tried to not have it overtake me, this urge, but I became more and more convicted that I had to speak up.......... and I did. I raised my hand and Fran saw me. I am not accustomed to doing that in church and we are very new to this church, but I had to do it!!! I said, "May I say something, please?" I wasn't sure how Fran would respond, but, he later told me that since he had known me and my heart that he decided to let me speak. I don't remenber everything that came out, but, I said something like; Are you listening to this? Can you hear what he is saying? This is the truth!! You people have to change your lives!! I also apologized a few times in there because of the fact that folks don't know me as well, but I was compelled to speak.

It was like something had washed through me. I was incredibly emotional. I was trembling and ... spent, actually. Fran said; "The words of the Lord." and continued on with his sermon, seemingly, with an increasingly spiritual fervor.

I was somewhat embarassed. I didn't want folks to come by and thank me or praise me or recognize me for anything or in any way. But, a few did come by and were very encouraging, all of them validating that it was the right thing to do and that the church was very receptive to 'things' like that. A young girl came by and spoke to me about how she was someone who sketches alot and while I was speaking she had sketched the graphic above. I asked her what she thought it meant and she said, "A dove or the Spirit, even a 'big hug'" Wow, I was overwhelmed.

Much more went on......... I know it was the Holy Spirit. I know that it was a special moment from the Lord to validate that He is in us, alive in us and we are His!!

I pray "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better."

Amen

Bill/Dad