Ponderings from Near the Altar

Fire on the Altar | March 4, 2012

Fifty hours of non-stop worship and intercession. Thousands of participants. It is the reality that prevailed in Austin this weekend. And I was there, even if but for a few brief hours.

I entered a filled sanctuary and found a spot in the back where I could easily sit, stand, kneel, sway, lay - whatever I felt so inclined to do - without disturbing anyone else.

Here is a brief excerpt from my journal from today:

As I sit on the floor against a back wall, what overwhelms me is the simple and beautiful truth that someone like me - like any one of us -  can walk directly into a place like this where the Holy of Holies is manifest here and now.

No longer is this sweet place reserved only for certain individuals who have met certain criteria. The tangible, aromatic, holy presence of the Almighty is here for all of us. I cannot wrap my head around this, yet I know it to be true, as I am experiencing it even in this moment.

There was a time when someone like me could only get so close to His presence, then someone else would have to go in my behalf. Now, because Jesus has already paid my way in, here I am, sitting at His feet, gazing on His beautiful face. Here I sit - overwhelmed.

"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High  

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."

Psalm 91:1

What interests me about this is that I wrote this within just a few minutes of entering the sanctuary. The word aromatic came to me very strongly. Hours later, during a spontaneous song, the lyrics that were coming were something like, 

"I am no longer my own

I am Your garden

Enter Your garden, Lord."

As this was being sung, I began to smell the unmistakable fragrance of roses. At first I thought perhaps someone near me had opened a bottle of rose-scented essential or anointing oil. But as I looked around, I saw that no one was within twenty feet or more of me. I closed my eyes and inhaled. It was undeniable.If a fragrance can be "warm" this one was. It is a word I have often used to describe a physical aroma that sometimes accompanies the presence of God. This time it was the fragrance of roses, appropriately made manifest while we were singing about being His garden. 

I love His presence. Every aspect of it.

More, Lord. More and more and more until ...

The Ancient Path

In the summer of 2002, my husband and I moved from Austin, Texas to Fort Smith, Arkansas. It was a job transfer that brought us here, but it was the Lord who led us here.

One of the first things we did was to begin searching for a church home. David had picked up a welcome packet from the Chamber of Commerce, and inside was a list of area churches. We sat down one afternoon and began looking it over. Having met while serving at an outdoor church for the homeless in Austin, we both hoped to find a local body of believers with a strong emphasis on outreach - a city vision.

As my eyes scanned down the usual choices, there was one name that captured my attention - City Christian Fellowship. Nice and simple, not fluffy or flashy. That Sunday, we walked into what immediately became home for us. We've been there ever since.

Our pastor has for many years been a worship leader/psalmist, and his latest recording, The Ancient Path, is a meditative worship album with Psalm 23 as its theme. It's something I would like to share with you now.

Rather than rant on about how much I love this album and how I think everyone should have it, I will instead refer you to The Ancient Path's website, where you can read about the story behind the project, download your free copy of the entire album (and the accompanying book), and learn more about the missions work in Belize that receives 100% of the proceeds from donations. Craig receives nothing from any of the money raised with this project. Donations are not required to download the album or the book. But they are appreciated.

Blessings all over you and yours,
Rachael

Christmas in the Heart of God

Music from the Heart: Welcome To Our World by Michael W. Smith

It's hard to believe it's been nearly a month since I last posted. Needless to say the past several weeks have been crazy busy, which is why I have had little time so sit down long enough to process a thought, much less write about it. Somehow I have managed to do so today. Right here. Right now.

So here it is, two days after Thanksgiving with Christmas fast approaching, and as usual, my heart longs to make this season linger as long as possible. As much as I love Christmas and all the nostalgia and tradition that accompanies it, there is still a part of me that is saddened a little more every year as I realize that so much of how we celebrate the birth of Jesus really does very little to touch the heart of God. And as the objects of His deepest affection, isn't that what we should be about in everything we do ~ touching His heart?

There is nothing inherently wrong with buying (or making) and exchanging gifts, nor is there anything evil about the parties, cookie exchanges, school and church programs, and other festivities that we engage in to celebrate Christmas.

But as we spend hours standing in lines, baking cookies, and attending all the functions of the season, and while we are doling out hard-earned dollars for gifts, cards, and decorations, may we regain a sense of the purpose for which He came.

"...the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
       He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
       to proclaim freedom for the captives 

and release from darkness for the prisoners, 

  to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
       and the day of vengeance of our God,
       to comfort all who mourn,

  and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
       to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, 

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
       and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
       They will be called oaks of righteousness,
       a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor."

Isaiah 61:1-3

This is what touches the heart of God. This is why He came here in the first place. This is how we should celebrate His coming ~ to fulfill His purposes in our generation. His plans and purposes have not changed. They remain as they were in the beginning.

"But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, 

the purposes of His heart through all generations."

Psalm 33:11

In The Garden

I've stated in prior posts that I often wake up in the morning with a song in my spirit. This morning, it was the old hymn, "In The Garden."

In April of 1912, hymn-writer C. Austin Miles was alone in the dark room where he kept his photographic equipment and organ. As he opened his Bible, it opened to the 20th chapter of John - the post-resurrection encounter between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Mr. Miles wrote of a vision he had that day, describing the scene in great detail.  

"My hands were resting on the Bible while I stared at the light blue wall. As the light faded, I seemed to be standing at the entrance of a garden, looking down a gently winding path, shaded by olive branches."

He goes on to share what he saw, ending with:  

"I awakened in sunlight, grip­ping the Bible, with muscles tense and nerves vibrating. Under the inspiration of this vision I wrote as quickly as the words could be formed the poem exactly as it has since appeared. That same evening I wrote the music."

Mary was distraught as she approached the tomb that morning. She so longed to be near to Jesus (even what she expected to be His lifeless body), that she could not even wait until daylight. She went while it was still dark. Seeing the stone removed from the entrance of the tomb, she ran to tell Peter & John that someone had taken His body.

The men came and saw for themselves that He was gone, and they went home. But Mary stayed. 

She was not ready to let go. Her heart was so intertwined with the person of Jesus that she could not bring herself to leave that spot, the last place she had known Him to be. 

After a brief conversation with two angels, Mary is addressed by another man, whom she assumes to be the gardener. She does not recognize Him to be the Lover of her soul. Not yet. But then she heard His voice. He uttered to her a single word, the first word He spoke after being resurrected from the dead (at least as far as we know from Scripture). With the utterance of a single word, Jesus made Himself known to her.

He only said one word. Her name. "Mary," He said.

Immediately Mary recognized His voice and turned to Him. The emotion that must have welled up inside her as she heard that familiar, sweet, comforting, powerful voice call her by name. I imagine that her eyes opened wide and her breath caught in her chest as she realized that it was Him.
 
May we all find the same sweet, intimate and deep relationship with Jesus that Mary had. The kind of relationship where even when we don't recognize Him in the circumstances of our lives, His voice is familiar enough to us that when we hear it, we know it is Him, turning to Him as Mary did.

IN THE GARDEN

by C. Austin Miles

     I come to the garden alone,

While the dew is still on the roses;

And the voice I hear, falling on my ear,

The Son of God discloses.

      

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other has ever known.

      

He speaks, and the sound of His voice

Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,

And the melody that He have to me

Within my heart is ringing.

"The sheep that are My own hear 
and are listening to My voice; 

and I know them, and they follow Me." 

John 10:27 (Amplified)

Distractions & Passions

Music from the Heart: Amazed by The Desperation Band

Lately I feel like my head is going in more directions than it was ever intended to. The challenge is to keep my heart from doing the same.

There is a ceasless flow of things, people and situations that compete for my time, attention, affection, and allegiance. This is the world we live in.

It takes an intentional, focused effort to peel away from the stuff of life to get alone with my own thoughts, much less spend any kind of quality time with the One who loves me most.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength." Sounds easy enough, doesn't it? But what if any part of your heart is chasing after anything but Him, or if any part of your mind is consumed with your own plans, agendas, ideas, or endeavors? How easy does it sound now?

The comfort I find rests in the fact that He knows me intimately. He knows every thought before I think it. He knows every word before I speak it. He sees all my moments, past, present and future, while I see only this one. He loves me in spite of me, and the mind-boggling thing is that He doesn't just love me, He's crazy about me ... and you.

As we go about our days, making plans and doing things, building and ending relationships, gathering stuff, and just living our lives, the entire time, the God of the universe is singing over us. The King of Glory is chasing after our hearts, pursuing our passion with an intense fervor. He is peeking through the lattice, looking on His beloved Bride, just waiting for the moment when His Father says, "She's ready. Go get her and bring her home."

And insane as it sounds, even with this knowledge, it still takes a concentrated, intentional effort for us to pull away and just sit with Him for a little while. The pull of earthly distractions is strong. But our love for Him must be stronger. If it isn't, we are lost.

O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.

 You know when I sit and when I rise;
       You perceive my thoughts from afar.

 You discern my going out and my lying down;
       You are familiar with all my ways.

  Before a word is on my tongue You know it completely, O LORD.

 You hem me in—behind and before; You have laid Your hand upon me.

 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 

Psalm 139:1-6

The Purest Form of Worship

In the spirit of keeping things simple and getting back to basics, I am not writing a new post this morning. Rather, I am sharing with you something I wrote a couple of months ago. The following a is a brief article I wrote for our worship team's newsletter over the summer. It includes an excerpt from a blog post, "Martha Gets a Time Out."

THE PUREST FORM OF WORSHIP

Mary. That is such a simple, common name for a woman who in one moment quietly made a choice that placed her at the feet of Jesus, and who without a word demonstrated worship in its purest form. Surrounded by things that needed to be done and people who wanted her to do them, Mary set her gaze on the face of Jesus. She sat down on the floor at His feet and listened to Him as He shared His heart. Worship doesn’t get any more simple and pure than that – wordless wonder as we look on His face and listen to His voice.

Much emphasis is placed in most circles on the various forms of worship: singing, dancing, praying, etc… But I believe that worship in its purest form is a matter of the heart. To gaze on the face of the One we adore and be silent as we take in every word that comes from His mouth—that is true worship.

I often find myself so busy with the stuff of life that I fail to spend genuine time at His feet, just me and Him. It’s in these precious moments, no matter when or where they happen, when my gaze is fixed on Him and my heart is tuned into His voice, that my spirit is renewed and my soul restored.

As worshipers we must make these “Mary moments,” as I like to call them, a priority in our every day lives. He is looking for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. He is not impressed with our musical abilities—He gave them to us. He is interested in a pure heart that is completely His. Enter in.