Sunday, October 25, 2009

Stricken

This is the second Sunday in a row where I have been deeply moved by the service at my church. Last week, I was stricken with a brief glimpse of sin that took my breath away. It was almost as if God revealed for a microsecond what He sees as He looks down upon us, His precious children.

It was during Communion and I was one of those people that looks up while everyone has their heads down in deep thought and prayer. I thought back to St. Augustine's Confessions and confrontation with my own sin for that brief moment brought tears to my eyes. I glanced around and knew that everyone in that room was in that same state of sin. I can't articulate it properly, but i could almost 'see' the sin in the air and feel God's Grace, solemnly, and lovingly, wiping it away.

I know. Weird. Crazy even. To think of myself writing this kind of creeps me out. I grew up pretty much an agnostic/atheist, fully immersed in the popular culture. When I first started going to my church, I felt like I had stepped onto the moon...or mars, or even bizzaro world.

If I could have seen into the future 20 years ago, where I would be today, I think I would have had a heart attack, or run screaming, or had a heart attack while i was running away and screaming. I actually listen to country music now. I was a metal freak back then. I have become Ned Flanders. Wow.

Well, this Sunday, was Reformation Sunday, where churches of the Reform Theology bent, celebrate Martin Luther's act of nailing the 95 theses upon that fated Wittenberg church door. The music was divine. I don't even know what it was, but it mixed latin chant type stuff with english and we had the translations and words up on the screen. Our choir is amazing, and I actually wept at the beauty of the sound.

Then our pastor went into the impact to modern culture of the Reformation and the doctrines of Justification by Faith. Jesus has offered you a free gift. All you have to do is reach out and accept His invitation.

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you
rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble
in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and
my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30


Isn't that what we all want and need? Good night and I pray that God Bless you and yours. Truly.

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for posting this, Dave. My son Ethan was stricken by the music, as well, and I've asked him to get me one of the service CD's so I can enjoy it. I miss singing with that choir.

    And I was amused by your confession that you can now listen to country music!

    Your thoughts made me remember our conversation on Word and Sacrament. These are fuel that the world just does not comprehend. They can and will reform, again and again, everywhere.

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  2. Anytime I take quiet time alone in the scriptures...best served at dawn...I am stricken by the Word of God. Thanks for reminding me of that joy and duty.

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  3. I am often stricken. I catch glimpses of God's holiness and feel undone as Isaiah was, "...a man of unclean lips..."

    I shudder to imagine what the full force of His gaze would be upon me for even a full second.

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