REPOST: Soon I Will See the Lines on His Face

A re-post from April 2008. One of my favourite quotes.

I've been reading a really interesting book by Donald Miller called 'Blue Like Jazz'. It's his own journey towards faith. Here's a great quote:

'I am early in my story, but I believe I will stretch out into eternity, and in heaven I will reflect upon these early days, these days when it seemed God was down a dirt road, walking towards me. Years ago He was a swinging speck in the distance; now He is close enough I can hear His singing. Soon I will see the lines on His face.'

How wonderful. May I always hear Him singing. And one day, too, I will be so close as to see the lines on His face.

REVIVAL IN LEICESTER (14) - TIMES OF LAMENT, TIMES OF REJOICING

The Psalms are the hymn book of the Bible. Full of worship and praise.

But also full of lament, crying out to God that His purposes would be fulfilled. Psalms of lament comprise the largest category of psalms, making up about one third of the entire book of Psalms - beautiful poems or hymns expressing human struggles.

Last week at our Revival Prayer night, we experienced something really special.

The couple leading worship that evening were from the Ukraine. Running for their lives and having lost everything back in their home country, they have been with us for some months now. That evening, Petruso was on bass and Nathalie sang (names changed).

As Nathalie led in worship, we moved into singing in the Spirit.

And then. The most beautiful thing happened.

Nathalie began to sing of living through pain, of trusting in the hard times. A God who is there in the most difficult of times, One to be worshipped all the time, whatever we face.

We knew what Nathalie was singing about. Together we began to get caught up in the worship – and the lament. Together we sang, together we cried out for Ukraine. Together we thanked God for His protection, His love, His providence – He will have the final say.

Such an awesome moment and one I haven’t quite experienced before, despite over 50 years as a Christian.

And then there is such rejoicing in this revival too. 

Eighteen people were baptised in water last Sunday. Young and old. Different backgrounds and different nations. Some from Sikh and Muslim families too. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one losing his voice towards the end, such was the rejoicing.