It was straight from the Enemy.
Right as communion was about to be served, a commotion began in the front of the sanctuary. A man was yelling something, the worship pastor and the ushers formed a net around him and tried to calm him down until a security officer could escort him out. The organist began to play a tune to smooth everything over. I was dumbfounded as the man continued to put up a fight, shouting, “This church sucks!” as he was led quickly down the main aisle.
Right before the most important celebration believers partake in, when our minds were fully focused on the sacrifice of Christ and the goodness of God. The most holy moment during the entire service. Coincidence? I think not.
How often does a dirty wrench get tossed into our lives right in the middle of sweetness and spiritual growth? Sometimes it’s from the Enemy or our own sin; other times, the Lord may be testing us, or this sinful world system might just decide to show up at the worst moment. Our romance with God can easily be interrupted, be it from ourselves, Satan, or this devious world.
I’m currently sitting in a coffee shop in West Town writing a reflection paper on major events in my life that contain transferable life lessons to use in a mentoring relationship. I’m thinking about love, fear, independence, anxiety, and pondering what God is up to in my life. I want to be found faithful, reflecting him and seeking him as my Lighthouse. I want to finish well, because so few do.
Who but God guides our steps, leads us to still waters and walks with us through altercations, valleys, and uncertainty? As Year 3 progresses and my time at Bible College ticks away, and Michelle faithfully sits across from me for the umpteenth time as I pour out my pathos, and Corbin and I visit another coffee shop to mark off the list, and I do more homework and learn how incredible our God is yet again, I realize that in my unsettled-ness, Jesus is still Lord.
Dr. Z. likes to talk about how that statement, “Jesus is Lord,” sounds different to the outside world because their lost minds are blind to the truth of what that actually means (1 Cor. 2:14). I can say that he is Lord, however, with confidence, with amazement, with tearful joy, because he is. I don’t know what’s ahead, but I can know that no matter what happens, Jesus is Lord! Oh, the implications of that!
In Revelation 22:7, Jesus says, “Look! I am coming soon…” Yes. Yes. Yes. When I am frightened, when the wrench is thrown, when the future looks huge and scary and I don’t know, this truth remains firm and is real.
Look not at the circumstance, but at the Living Word expressed through the written Word.
