Friday, April 20, 2012 - Psalm 13, 17, 23, 26, 28, 31

Friday, April 20, 2012
Psalm 13, 17, 23, 26, 28, 31

I heard a great Easter story last week that I need to share with all
of you. I have a friend Debbie; she's a Christian who grew up in the
Catholic church, is now Episcopalian, but doesn't really go to church
anymore except for the holidays and funerals. On Easter Sunday
(4/8/2012) she was visiting her daughter before heading to church. As
she was leaving her daughter's house, her grandchildren, Amiya (8 yrs
old) and Ja'den (6 yrs old) began begging to go to church with her.
She was shocked (since these kids had never even been to church), but
happy to fulfill their wishes and brought them along.

When they got to church, Ja'den looked around and began asking,
"Where's God Grandma?" "Is that God Grandma [pointing to the priest]?"
Debbie then explained to them that God was in the church, but He was
invisible. Debbie said, "when you're outside, you can feel the wind
right?" Amiya and Ja'den replied, "Yes Grandma." Debbie said, "Can you
see the wind?" "No Grandma," the kids replied. Then Debbie said,
"That's what God is like; you may not see Him, but you can feel Him."

Eventually, Debbie and the kids found some seats and sat for the
service. When it came time for communion, Amiya asked, "Can I take
communion Grandma?" Not sure about the protocol in the church, Debbie
asked the people around her if it was okay for Amiya to take
communion. One person replied, "as soon as the child can swallow, they
can take communion if they want." So Debbie brought Amiya to the front
of the church to partake in communion. Amiya grabbed her piece of
bread, dipped it in the grape juice, and brought it back to her seat.
Once Amiya put the bread in her mouth and swallowed, she broke down
crying. Debbie asked her, "What's wrong?" Amiya crying replied, "Jesus
is inside of me."

If the presence of God has never brought tears to your eyes, then you
probably don't know God yet. A little over a year ago, I had the same
spiritual experience as Amiya - the Spirit of God came into my heart
and created a joy so intense that I began crying. If you've had this
experience, then you already know the power of God's presence.

David knew the power of God's presence and asked for God's filling
regularly. In Psalm 31:1-5, David said the following:

1 In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
3 Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.

In his times of trouble, David called on the Lord to be his "rock of
refuge," for he knew that in the presence of God, he had a "strong
fortress." A fortress that could not be shaken by anything in this
world; not fear, not despair, not affliction, not even death could
shake the fortress that David had in God. At the same time, David knew
he had to give himself to God in order to experience God's saving
grace. That is why David said, "Into your hands I commit my spirit."
Only when you give your heart to the Lord, can you truly experience
freedom from the bondage of self; the bondage of fear, worry,
impulsiveness, unforgiveness, and despair. Only when you give your
heart to the Lord, can you experience the filling of the Holy Spirit.
Let's surrender to the Lord today and experience the immeasurable
freedom in His Spirit.

God Bless,
Anthony