10-5-12
It’s 8:45PM and I am seriously sitting on a rooftop in Carrefour, Haiti, with 18 other women blasting “I Will Rise” into the open air and fully surrendered to what God has planned for this night of worship devoted solely to Him! Neighbors look on from other rooftops, some curious and some maybe a little annoyed by the noise; a dog barks in the distance, disturbed by this crazy phenomenon that is American music and a ridiculous amount of flashlights casting dancing shadows on house walls; and somewhere nearby a church is meeting in a neighbor’s house and I can faintly pick out the hymns they belt out. Oh, and it’s sprinkling rain, drops splattering all over my paper as I try to journal and process my thoughts. There are a million other places I could be, but in this moment, surrounded by mosquitoes and dogs and dark eyes staring at me through the night and my sisters dancing, singing, praying and stargazing all around me, there is truly no place I would rather be!
This Jesus-all-the-time culture is one that I don’t ever want to escape! All too recently, this was not my lifestyle. I’ve spent so much of my life telling God when He could have His time with me – after this night out, or once I’ve accomplished this goal, or when I’m done hanging out with this person. It doesn’t quite work that way!
I’m realizing that ANY time is God’s time. He doesn’t sit quietly on a back-burner waiting for us to acknowledge His existence; He is always with us, always loving us, always holding us. We don’t have to ask and we don’t get to tell Him to go away when it’s inconvenient for our plans. When we have WAY TOO MUCH to drink, He’s the one who gets us home and puts us to bed, still loving us despite our stupidity. (He’s also that “gut” feeling that says, “I probably shouldn’t do that again.”) When we miss an opportunity to witness, He’s the one who pats our back and says, “You’ll get the next one.” When we need a change, He pushes us; when we need to fall, He holds out his arms, and when we finally realize that HE NEVER LETS GO, I’m pretty sure He does a fist pump and says, “They got it!”
“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.” –Psalm 73:23-24
He deserves so much revere! He is worthy of million moments just like this one throughout these next 10 months, no matter when, or where or who is present to take notice! And even more so, He is worthy of moments like this when I am finally back at home.
Call me crazy. Call me a fanatic. Call me a holy roller or whatever you need to say, but you’ll probably have to climb up on my roof in Allegre to do it!
Be Blessed!
Ashlee
