I don’t know what happened.
We are in Bangkok, Thailand, staying at a YWAM base right
outside the city. Since today was Sunday, and yesterday was a travel day, our
gracious Squad leaders decided that we wouldn’t go to a “real” church service. So
we met today in the “Upper Room” of YWAM, which is where all the girls are
staying.
So I got up this morning and got some breakfast, which
consisted of a probiotic drink, the best iced coffee EVER, and a few bites of a
waffle. As I walked down the already crowded street, I vicariously announced to
Brittany Priess “Today is going to be a wonderful day.”
I had no idea how prophetic that was.
So at 11:03 am, O squad met in the upper room, which is
apparently the worship room to do church. Heather started to play a little bit
on her guitar, and I don’t know what happened, but I can probably only liken it
to the book of Acts, Chapter 2.
I have never been so in God’s presence before. I didn’t “feel”
anything. Nobody spoke in tongues (that I know of,) and nobody fell out in the
Spirit. But I can tell you with all assurance in my being, that God is HERE.
Multiple members of the squad began to speak out in ways I’ve
never heard them before. Angela began to dance. I was overwhelmed with the
desire to draw. So many people spoke things I have never heard before, and
Courtney Hess, God bless her, preached the greatest sermon I’ve nearly ever
heard about God’s Presence and The need for Community.
Tears were shed, and new gifts were discovered. My dear
teammate Kris even began to draw in her journal.
I don’t know what happened. Other than the fact that God
showed up.
I never wanted to stay somewhere for so long. Usually, I can
handle about an hour or so of corporate Squad worship. I’m a lightweight. I get
distracted easily. Call it what you will, but I just can’t stand it for that
long. Today was so different. The presence of God was so sweet, that I even
admitted to the entire squad that I was reluctant to go to the bathroom because
I didn’t want to leave and miss something.
THIS is what I’ve been waiting for. THIS is where I want to
be. There was NO PLACE on this earth I’d rather have been OTHER Than that upper
room. We are in Bangkok Thailand, and it is AMAZING, and I REALLY wanted to go
out and visit the city, but I could have cared less. I was with my squad. My
FAMILY. Worshiping our God. And He was so clearly here, you couldn’t have
forced me to leave, even with the allure of Pad Tai.
For once, I think I understood what they meant about “Heaven
on Earth.” This is why telling people about Jesus is so important. This “Kingdom”
that we live for is so sweet, so peaceful, so utterly amazing and ridiculous
that ANY PLACE ELSE on this earth simply CANNOT compare.
It is NO COINICIDENCE to me that this happened here, in the
Upper Room. That is where the Bible says that the disciples waited on the Holy
Spirit to fall. They waited, they fasted, and they prayed. God showed up with
tongues of flame. He showed up today in the form of a crashing wave that breaks
away the rock face we are all standing upon. He told us today, “Even if the
ground beneath you is stripped away, will you still trust Me?”
And we all said yes.
So I don’t know what happened today. God showed up. He’s
still here. He’s never left, even if I perhaps thought otherwise. I know there
are SO many things I need to write about on my blog, as so much has happened,
but I had to tell you this first.
God is here. He’s with O Squad.
Look out World.
