Thunderstruck!

Wow - what a night. Sunday was our first evening meeting for the year at church - I have to admit, it DOES get very easy to come home from church in the morning and think 'well I can rest now' - especially after energetic worship! (hey, I'm being honest here!), so to go back to knowing you need to be there at 4pm again was a challenge. Especially as it was SO hot in the building, and even hotter under the stage lights (I know, I know I'll appreciate them in the winter when everyone else is rugged up). Soundcheck & practice went well, apart from us all needing a cold shower, ice cold drink and a lie down after - it was nearly fisticuffs in front of the fan heheee....saying all that...thank God for shelter, electricity and all the benefits we have - we're not exactly standing under the hot sun in a field somewhere.

We kinda went for it when the praise & worship started. I think we were aware that the congregation would probably be feeling a bit drained because of the heat, so there was a need to be MORE energetic, MORE communicative, so that people would really be able to enter into worship and connect with God. That's our job, to show people the freedom in Christ that they have, to give opportunity for them to leave all their baggage at the foot of the cross, and that in coming to God openly, the Holy Spirit can impact them in the biggest way.

All through 'The Freedom We Know', I remember thinking "I REALLY need to get fitter than this!" I don't think I've ever jumped around so much....well, not in public anyway! We then did an AMAZING song written by one of our fantastic worship leaders (thanks so much Marg) - every time we do her song 'Redeemer', something happens in the hearts and minds of the people - the Holy Spirit touches people every single time, the song helps to open the congregations eyes to who Jesus is, to what God has done for us....awesome. The Spirit of God was really tangible from that moment on. You know sometimes you feel like you are banging your head against a wall during worship, that people aren't getting it, but sometimes there is a hunger, people are ready and willing to hear from God and to have Him change their lives, and BOOM! The floodgates open and worship becomes the most natural thing in the world to do, and very, very easy. Last night was one of those nights. We were singing in the Spirit for an hour at least - the sweat was dropping off us, but we didn't seem to notice - we were aware of how many people were at the altar for prayer and to reach out to God, it was amazing. You could feel the ebb and flow of the Holy Spirit - it's just something else when you can sense when you need to sing more fully, and when you need to be soft - I can't really explain it any better...Afterwards, I think we were all a little thunderstruck - I guess in awe of being in the presence of God. It's been on my and David's thoughts all day. As David said on the way home 'Now THAT was it!" I know what he means. A new song was birthed last night, a song of praise that came straight from God, and it is SO GOOD to have God reiterate - THIS is who I AM, THIS is what I can do, THIS is the power of the Holy Spirit, and THIS is just a taste of what's to come. Truly a glimpse of the Kingdom.

And then, later that night, the biggest, best and most welcome storm we've had in Sydney! Wow - it was huge - lots of banging and crashing for what seemed like hours..(pic from www.news.com.au) - I sat there, looking out the window in awe of the stunning light show, and thanked God for sending more rain on this parched land - more Lord!

I pray that we'll be even more 'thunderstruck' in the days and weeks to come. When I read of thunder in the bible, it always seems to signify the power and might of God. In today's society and in many churches, God has become anaemic, emasculated, watered down. People are scared to talk about the power of God as it disagrees with the concept they are trying to push - love, compromise, tolerance....good if they understood what those words actually meant...I think we need a reminder of God's power. If we believe in a weak God, then we will have no faith, and we will have little expectation. If we believe that God is truly omnipotent, then it's no holds barred, faith wise. If this is who God is, then we know what He is capable of, and we know who we are as His children.

With that in mind, I've just read 1 Samuel Chapter 2, and verses 1- 10 have jumped out at me. Hannah was praying prophetically, but it was a prophecy with a double impact - her son was soon to anoint a king who would deliver Israel, but not only that, she spoke of the true Deliverer, Jesus the King, who would bring salvation to the world.

So, I'll leave you with the scriptures. I'd be interested to hear what you get out of it.

1 Then Hannah prayed and said: "My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.
2 "There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
3 "Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.
4 "The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry hunger no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.
6 "The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.
7 The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.
8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honour. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD's; upon them he has set the world.
9 He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness. "It is not by strength that one prevails;

10 those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth. "He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed."