Off to David's Tent

This time tomorrow, I will be under a massive canvas, enjoying the start of seventy two hours non-stop worship in David's Tent. As last year, I plan to stay up for the whole time, enjoying being part of the crowd pouring out a heart of worship to Almighty God. 

I did actually catch a couple of hours snooze in the car and a couple more on someone's floor last year but the whole rest of the time, I had a ball with God. Despite the crowds, it sometimes felt like just Him and me.

I didn't go around with anyone on purpose. I  just wanted to experience that time in the presence of God amongst His people. I think part of that was allowing myself to be the introvert that I am but I felt a great freedom just to 'be' with God. I soaked (just lay/stood/sat there enjoying the music and the presence of God); I prayed; I enjoyed that occasional conversation; sang my heart out and, a couple of times, danced like a madwoman in a way that I never would have before that point; and I enjoyed the sky, I didn't care what I looked like or smelled like - though I hope the latter was OK! I took perfume and babywipes are wonderful. I had practised putting on a bit of makeup without a mirror, keeping my hair fairly reasonable and had clothes that don't crease badly. I just didn't want to care unnecessarily about those things and this year, I don't feel that I am bothered at all!

Last year I also fasted for the first couple of days to pray and be more unhindered, then THOROUGHLY enjoyed a veggie and humous-filled pitta on the last day, savouring every bite, chew and sensation in my mouth...utterly thankful for it! I really knew and appreciated the meaning of the phrase, 'Party in my mouth.'

So, I am off to pack and repeat the process - thought there will be a big pile of friends there as well that I just didn't know last year. I will get love and hugs a-plenty, I am sure. But the best thing, the very best, will be welling up and over-spilling with worship, in song, silence and all the things of daily life there, from a heart of love for and gladness to be with the Lord and Creator of the Universe; my heavenly Dad. I may even bust a few new moves in celebration!

Who knows?

Eric Johnson once said  that we shouldn't think of our christian walk as being in periods of transition because, as God's children, we are ALWAYS to expect to be in transition. 

2 Corinthians 3:18 (here in the Amplified Version) confirms it.

'And we all...are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever-increasing splendour and from one degree of glory to another, which comes from the Lord' (italics mine)

Spiritually, I am constantly changing; just as I do physically. We all do.

This cute picture of an endearing but slightly grimy-looking Diana Spencer as a toddler, gives no hint of the aristocratic family into which she was born nor of the exquisitely beautiful Diana, Princess of Wales, that she was to become some 18 years later and whose life, despite its difficult times, changed others' lives and made better days for so many.

This change didn't happen overnight but little by little, through natural processes and through various choices and circumstances.

Our transformation throughout life may be subtle but if we are purposeful about it, it will happen inevitably. That word, 'transfigured' communicates the sense of change that happened when Jesus was transfigured after His resurrection - SUCH a change that it lit up all around Him. He glowed. 

Sometimes we may not feel like we are changing. Indeed our circumstances may be so difficult or frankly, mind-numbingly tedious at times as to make us wonder what the point of our just-lived day might actually have been. We all have days when it is enough to be grateful we have  from survived from one end of the day to the other (At least, I hope I am not the only one!) but in our journey of following Jesus, forwards is always the way to face, aim and walk!

I watched this video a while back and am reminded of it again now. Take a moment to watch it before you read on.

Good wasn't it?

I was so struck by the way that the artist paints invisibly with the water and then by the simple addition of ink, a picture is formed and all the abstract motion of the colourless brush make sense. Paper comes to life!

It put me in mind of our own recent 'hard' times and how things have happened that seem absolutely purposeless; a waste of time and my life and very frustrating in their apparent lack of direction. But I realised that some of these periods of life are simply God 'painting with water'. He is laying foundations and preparing me to receive the 'ink' of His portrait for my life. So during those times, I can be confident they are not redundant or unprofitable. Indeed, if I do nothing else, I can learn the lessons that David did whilst he was fleeing the murderous King Saul in the desert and 'strengthen myself in the Lord'. That alone will be a great personal benefit. 

I even tried my own ink and water drip - not a great work of art but not bad for a first attempt

(I think the picture will enlarge if you click on it and you may see how, in places, the ink has separated into its component colours to make things even more interesting! God is SO creative.)

But at the same time as I wait to see God's plan pan out, I can look through the misty veil of uncertainty with an expectant heart, knowing that my God, my Father, never sleeps nor forgets me.

I cannot count the number of times a day His thoughts turn to me 

He hasn't loved, grown and gifted me just to leave me languishing without purpose throughout life. So, if this day seems hardly to have had a point, I choose to believe that things have moved on part of a degree; I can choose to take an action that makes that evident; I can even just choose to sink onto my bed and let the love of my Daddy wash over me. Whichever it is, it brings a smile to His face because He knows the way ahead. I can also know that there will definitely be days when I shine for Him, sometimes even when I don't feel shiney but I am making the right choices and His glory shines through me...after all, we are not called to 'Arise and reflect' but to 'Arise and shine'!

I think the idea is supported in this exciting statement from Alan Scott of Causeway Coast Vineyard:
'Believers aren't called to live up to a STANDARD. We are called to live out a STORY. Instead of PERFORMING for God, we get to CREATE with God.'
I love it!

So! If all I or you do today is to stand in front of a mirror and say, confidently, just because it is true... 

'I am constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever-increasing splendour and from one degree of glory to another, which comes from the Lord',

...we will be declaring the release of that truth over myself and partnering with my Dad to change His world through mine.

And finally, as an encouragement...

No better place

At the end of any day, I like nothing better than to have a nice hot shower to wash off the exertion and get horizontal in my own, king-sized bed.

Some while ago, Hubs and I treated ourselves to some cotton bedding - 400 count pure Egyptian cotton linen. The more you wash it, the softer it gets. It is best on the night following its laundering in the day - washed with my favourite laundry conditioner that smells of Spring, tumbled in the drier and smoothed to near-perfection by beautifully unhindered strokes of the steam iron.

Sadly, this is not my real bed but I wish it was

As soon as I hit the sheets - sometimes literally as I like to scare Hubs by leaping into bed from a distance, occasionally taking a short run-up as I do so - I lie face-down and make the back of my feet like windscreen wipers on that cotton, relishing the softness against my feet and stroking my pillows with my hands and cheek. I stop short of purring contentedly.

I know I am probably not going to sleep when I get to heaven but I hope there will be a place to go and chill from time to time; somewhere to lie down on THE most heavenly soft sheets, eyes closed, and swish my feet whilst I enjoy the sound of the worship out there beyond, in the Throne Room. Meanwhile, here on earth, these gorgeous sheets are part of my idea of heaven after a long day.

As my body rests, and shuffles its contours into the bedding until I am blissfully swathed in duvet and sheets, I almost ALWAYS wonder why I didn't come to bed earlier - I hardly ever go before midnight. It is so NICE to be here. I am relaxed. I am at rest. I have nothing to do except to be. 

I lay there the other night and thanked God for this wonderful bed. 

I was reminded how often, when I have left it a while to read from my bible and spend time with God, I get so enthralled by what I read and by what He has to say to me, I end up with similar thoughts to all the above....WHY do I leave it so long when it is such a delicious experience? Why don't the memories of how wonderful it is to be in that place, spur me on to do so more and more? NO-ONE loves to spend time with me more than my heavenly Father does and He always makes it a special time...whether it is just the peaceful joy of hanging out together; the wonder of growing in the knowledge of Him; the challenge of my willingness to walk the next uncertain steps of life with Him - any and every aspect of my relationship with Him - it is all more than worthwhile and never regretted. Seeking Him out and chatting to Him about life is always worthwhile. Always worth repeating. Always worth the sacrifice.

It also helps keep life in perspective. When I know who I am and Whose I am, it doesn't mean life is all hunky dory, but it makes me feel safe because I am in the place that's best for me. Life is throwing up some shaky stuff at the moment - when isn't it? But I needn't wait to have an end-of-the-day- experience with my Father to talk it through with Him. He is there any time. Patient. Always. Expectant. Ready. 

And He doesn't flinch when I take a running jump towards Him!