Was it a Morning Like This

I am going to climb on a soap box. I don't want to offend anyone but I guess if you climb on a soap box you are going to offend folks. So here we go.

In church we seem to find more things to get upset about than we find God. That's weird but true. You would think that in church you would find God more than any other place on earth. I know we all have challenges in life. One person in our class asked us to pray for a family with more things going wrong in their life than I had fingers to keep count. Cancer in two family members, pregnancy problems, lost jobs PLUS half of their house was damaged (blown away) by a storm. Problems in a big way. However, we seem to be more concerned about the music, coffee shops, building programs, lights, how old is old, are we contemporary or traditional, should we allow tattoos and the list does go on, and on, and on, and on.

This morning I downloaded off of itunes an album by Sandi Patty. I can already hear some of you saying she is from the 80's. Her music is history. Well, anointed songs stand the test of time. I started listening to her music - In the Name of the Lord - Via Dolorosa (this one is incredible)- I've Just Seen Jesus (sing with Larnelle Harris) and then my ipod came upon her song, "Was It a Morning Like This." Humor me here for a minute

Was it a morning like this

When the Son still hid from Jerusalem
And Mary rose from her bed

To tend the Lord she thought was dead
Was it a morning like this
When Mary walked down from Jerusalem
And two angels stood at the tomb

Bearers of news she would hear soon

We seem to have forgotten that we are serving a risen Lord. NO other religion or belief can say that. NOT a God of the dead. A God of the living. A living God who is all about LIVING! Singing, dancing, laughing, playing, loving and yes, at times crying.

Was it a morning like this - When Peter and John ran from Jerusalem
And as they raced toward the tomb - Beneath their feet was there a tune

We don't run to God any more. Peter ran. Peter ran at the news he heard. Jesus had risen. He ran to see for himself. His excitement was greater than any obstacle this earth could place in front of him. He ran like he never ran before to see for himself the promise had become real. Jesus was alive and Peter ran to see it. His heart was pounding so hard he couldn't just sit there - he had to run or his heart would have exploded from his chest. Can you feel that kind of excitement - energy- joy - hope coming to fruition? To many of us have lost that heart pounding joy of our salvation.

OK<>

Chorus 1
Did the grass sing - [I will not be out sung by grass]
Did the earth rejoice to feel You again - [I will not let dirt rejoice more than me at the feel of my Lord's presence. ]

Over and over like a trumpet underground
Did the earth seem to pound he is risen [Is your heart pounding for God]
Over and over in a never ending round He is risen hallelujah hallelujah

When this verse came on I was smacked in the face with the feeling I haven't experienced in a while. The feeling I had when I accepted Jesus as my Savior. The feeling that only comes when you stand toe to toe with the living God - Face to Face with your Creator - so close, as one writer put it, that you could see into His eyes and feel the warmth of His face and the soft movement of his breath. Man that was good, no that was GREAT. I was no longer working out in the middle of a gym. I wasn't sitting on a machine waiting to do my next set. I was in the presence of God.

Jesus was alive and standing right next to me. My heart was pounding. Pounding so hard I couldn't just sit there - I had to get up and move or my heart would have exploded from my chest. I could feel the excitement - energy- joy- hope coming to fruition that Peter felt. At least I thought that the rush I was having had to be close to what Peter felt. I was experiencing the heart pounding joy of our salvation, in the presence of my God.

I know next Sunday morning I will go to church and run into people who - seem to be more concerned about the music, coffee shops, building programs, lights, how old is old, are we contemporary or traditional, should we allow tattoos and on, and on, and on, and on. That's OK. Because when they come up to me and they start to play this same old record - I will think to myself, "Was it a Morning Like This" - -AND my heart will start to pound and . . . . well I think you get the picture. I just hope I don't hurt anyone as I run down the halls!