Every once in a while I stand in worship on a Sunday morning and I am literally transported to a holy moment somewhere else. It is as if I am living in a different experience entirely, I am surrounded by people praising His name, and somehow I am not there at all - He has invited me to join Him to rejoice in a space of worship that has been savored within my heart and will forever residence there - a space I can enter into and join with all the angels to praise Him once again. It is overwhelmingly good and unexplainable outside of Jesus.
It happened just last week. It was an ordinary Sunday at EvFree and we were singing “What a beautiful name it is, the name of Jesus…” As I closed my eyes, the female voice changed to Yayel, one of our translators while in Africa and I could see the Rwandan hillside in the distance - lights dancing - small fires illuminating the night sky. I could almost feel the hands of my teammates in mine as we stood outside the World Relief Guesthouse in a circle, worshipping together in one voice - one heart. It was Friday evening and we had closed the week at camp only hours before. Our hearts were heavy with grief and yet full of rejoicing at the overwhelmingly good work that our faithful Father had allowed us to see and be part of…the names of our beloved campers lingered close…we knew another goodbye was coming. The translators who were now also part of our team would soon be hugging us tight and then walking away from the house so we were taking this time to worship together before a final prayer would close the night and our time together. Our voices resounded in praise and filled the sky, it was one of the most beautiful worship experiences I have ever known. I stood at EvFree and tears poured down my face - I was overwhelmed with gratitude that He would take me back there…as I stood in that circle once more, I could see all their faces and hear their voices. I breathed in Rwanda and whispered thank you in my heart as the words “What a powerful name it is, the name of Jesus” continued from my mouth. Then in a flash, I was in the dining hall at camp and for the briefest moment I watched William dance and felt a surge of pride then felt him nuzzled in close against me as I held him tight for a hug, his hair rubbed against my chin. I stood in the room where we led all the lessons and I spun in a circle to see all the children once more. I couldn’t contain the total joy. At the back of that room the very first night of camp, my team and the translators started it all by holding hands and singing worship together and tears poured faster and harder as the room emptied and the words “it is well” came to the surface my memory. Then I was back at EvFree, standing next to Mere, radiant, full, and whole. I was listening to an unfamiliar voice sing and somehow knowing I had just met with Christ in the safest and most intimate of places - prepared just for me - as a reminder that He knows the very depths of my soul and will always cover me there.
I have met with Him in that space many times - I have stood to sing wearing a Red Robe, feet covered in snow, the gorgeous melody in Hebrew, while standing at the end of the train tracks at Auschwitz-Birkenau… I have gone back to Camp Caribe in Puerto Rico to watch the waves crash against the beach as my World Changers team worshipped amidst the mosquitos and waving palm trees… I have returned to tremble on the stage in a church in the 9th Ward of New Orleans, incredibly weak and sick, singing “I surrender all” looking to my left and right at boarded up windows as the stained glass had all been shattered in the crashing waves of Hurricane Katrina… I have marveled at repeated sunsets over Parliament while singing in an outdoor amphitheater in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada… most often I find myself returning to a candlelit sanctuary in Port St. Lucie, Florida, a cross leaning against the stage, the acoustic guitar as the only background to “Jesus Paid it All” pouring from the lips of hundreds of teenagers who had fully committed and determined that being servants of their King was far greater than anything else.
The moments are all sacred, all holy ground, all face to face with my Savior, all reserved for becoming more radiant as I take in a glimpse of His glorious sacrifice and love for me. What a beautiful name it is - the name of Jesus.
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