Life at its most profound
occurs often when at its simplest truths.
As some of you may already know, we're staying at a YWAM base here in Phnom Penh, Cambodia this month. The food is allegedly great, the people are warm and friendly, the days are hot and humid and the night never seems to last long enough. I have a new piece of information to share with you all: the worship that's held is incredible, too.
I was sitting at the table with my feet propped up on an adjacent chair when the sound first reached my ears. Perhaps I was completely absorbed in the menial tasks I was performing on the computer, or perhaps someone decidedly left the door cracked open to create airflow, no matter why, this sound was suddenly audible to me. The music dripped down the staircase from the third floor like honey; the notes were golden, heavy and sweet to the taste buds of my soul. Sitting and staring at my laptop suddenly became apparent as a completely dead end activity. After hesitating for a fraction of a minute more, I abandoned my post and went to investigate.
I stood, left my laptop open on whatever screen I had going and walked over to the stairwell that spun up to meet the third floor's conference room. The music was louder now and sweeter, even, as the group began to harmonize this simple song,
“God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, He's so good to me.”
I was feeling too shy to venture up and join the other foreign missionaries; instead, I took my seat on the third step of those winding stairs. I simply sat and basked in the presence of the Lord right then. I sang to Him this simple, childlike melody in the company of thirty others but remained anonymous. I can't accurately describe to you how profound this moment was for me. The air was so filled with worship and within that worship, the presence of God weighed heavily.
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).
The song continued, “He cares for me, He cares for me, He cares for me, He's so good to me.”
I could do nothing more than remain in His truth. I sat still unknown by the small crowd in that tiny deserted stairwell, having a moment with God. I remember thinking that I felt like Mary, who in the pages of Luke 10, chose to sit at the feet of Jesus while Martha cleaned the house, anxious for Mary's aid. It must have been all that Mary could to do sit at His feet. It must have been so plain to her, so simple. “I just want to be with Jesus.” That's it.
That's what this is all about: worship, the Race, this life, really: just being with God and thus knowing Him by that exchange. We were created to experience love- to love and be loved, culminated in our relationship with the God of all Creation.
“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” 1 John 4:9-11.
