He Wept Behind Me

IGREJA EVANGELICA - Accao Biblica

Church Evangelical - Action Bible
Well today is Sunday, or at least it still was an hour ago. I think that I have finally settled on the church I will be attending this year and wanted to share my most recent experience with you. This morning I found myself sitting in church singing, well at least I was trying to, ok so I was mostly listening. While listening I found myself not worried about the theological content or correctness of the songs. Not the least bit concerned as to whether the music was hymns or praise songs. Whether the lyrical focus was anthrocentric or theocentric was the farthest thing from my mind. The only thing on my mind was worship, comuning with my Lord, striving to have an attitude and heart that would be receptive to what He had to teach me today.

All around me people were singing in portuguese, not able to fully participate yet I was trying to just take it all in. Then it happened. Members of the congregation began to take turns praying aloud. After several people had prayed a voice behind me began to call out to God. It was a man behind me and he began to pray with such passion that I had to steal a glance, I could hear the emotion in his voice and now I could see it on his face as he look upward to heaven. He was shaking his open hands in the direction he was looking, it was as though he were trying desperately to communicate with God. Almost like God was right there in front of him, fully visible and listening to His request. He prayed for several minutes with more passion than I have heard for a long time. When he finished praying the emotions were so deep that he literally began to weep.

I sat in my seat, not knowing what to do. I was trying to worship, trying to "participate" in what was going on but what this all meant, what exactly was taking place, it was all a mystery to me. I mean I could see that sometihng powerful, something significant was happening in this man's life, maybe it would even be life changing. However, I could not understand it, I did not know the what or why. All I had was my own interpretations of what was transpiring before my eyes. I knew that I would need to learn the language, the culture - to be protuguese if you will or have someone come along side and help me unwrap this if I was to truly understand.

So I sat there, taking it all in, not really grasping it all and yet begining to ponder me in relationship to all this. It was then that the Lord brought to mind Acts 8 where Philip meets the Ethiopean Eunich. The Ethiopean was reading the bible (scripture) and when Philip asked if he understood it, "...How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" How I felt like the Ethiopean today.

Then it dawned on me, so often we get frustrated when those around us who don't "get it." They don't understand something, how it works, how to do it, why it's done - in so many of life's activities. We often get impatient with them or think less of them - they are often just as frustrated.

As someone who loves Jesus Christ and desires to see others love and live for Him too, it would be easy for me to become frustrated or disappointed when I see many who do not understand what Jesus has done for them. Today, I was reminded that many times we don't understand Jesus because those around us are speaking a different language. Like the Ethiopean, we need someone to clearly help us to understand these mysteries of God. Or we need to get into the culture, learn the language by reading Jesus' love letter to us. It is only then that we can truly begin to comprehend the greatest act of love God has ever done for us - the sending of His Son to die in our place.

I am so grateful that someone cared enough for me to help me understand what Jesus did for me through the sacrifice of His own life. My prayer is that with His help I might be used to help others unwrap this beautiful, life-changing gift that Jesus is offering them. This gift is not understood by all, not wanted by many but like what happened for the man that wept behind me, it can change your life for eternity and is worth it.