Kissed by the Spirit

“How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?

If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

let my right hand wither!”

Psalm 137:4-5 (NAB)

Jerusalem is known as the city of David. There is an ancient fortress that overlooks Jerusalem, called the Tower of David. It’s a famous ancient tower that stands tall across the landscape of the city. It’s like a reminder of God, who is a hope and a refuge to all who trust Him. 

David’s tower in Jerusalem has always been a symbol of strength and refuge for the Jewish people. David wrote multiple poems and  songs about Jerusalem. He inspired the Jewish people for 3,000 years, to long for and focus on that holy city. Along with the famous tower, it always was, is now and will always be, a symbol of hope in God. 

The Israelites were known for their  vibrant songs and melodies, filled with contagious joy, inspiring everyone to rise up and start dancing. Their songs, originally written by David in the Psalms, were also enjoyed by people of the surrounding nations. This is why, when the Israelites were taken captive to Babylon, their captors said, “Sing us the joyful songs of Zion!” but they sadly responded, “How can we sing in a foreign land?” 

While being held captive in Babylon, they became depressed and lost their desire to sing the joyful songs they were known for. Instead of singing, they wept all day long, being so far away from their beloved Jerusalem. 

Babylon and Jerusalem can represent more than geographical places. They could be metaphors for two states of mind. Babylon represents a mind that is held captive by something, dwelling in a foreign land, and not what God intended. Someone might be held captive by worry, anxiety, depression or the inability to forgive someone. There is no desire for singing, because they feel misplaced. Once we see Babylon and Jerusalem as spiritual states of mind, we can leave the foreign land of Babylon and head back to Jerusalem where we belong.

The scripture says that we must never forget Jerusalem, because it represents the mindset of being a child of God, knowing our Heavenly Father loves us. 

A Jerusalem state of mind liberates us from all kinds of captivity. It is beyond geography, but rather a place where we can re-center our identity and hope in God, and be set free by Jesus. 

In Jerusalem, we let the words of Jesus bring us new hope. He spoke about the freedom that He offers us in John 8:32, 36.

“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Jerusalem is a state of mind, embracing the promises of Jesus, to be free indeed. His promises are for anyone who craves freedom, who is spiritually hungry and willing to believe His words. Jesus knew that everyone was worth dying for, and He still overwhelms us with His love. By believing the words of the One who loves us most, we are set free.

To leave Babylon and live in a Jerusalem state of mind, is to see the grace and love continually flowing down the hill of Calvary, from where the cross once stood. Through the empty tomb, His same resurrection power reaches us wherever we are. Those areas of our mind, soul or spirit that are held captive, are touched by His blood, and His Spirit raises us into a new mindset of joy and peace.

In a Jerusalem state of mind, we focus on the spiritual tower of David. That tower stands tall in every view of the Jerusalem landscape. For me, it represents Jesus, who is our strong refuge and fortress. We are His people, set free by the power of His blood and resurrection. We no longer have to live in the captivity of Babylon. We have been set free and Jesus made it all possible. 

Paul reaffirms this by saying, 

“In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” The love of God in Jesus Christ, has actually made us conquerors. (Romans 8:37)

Lord, thank you for seeing such great worth in each of us. Remind us to seek a Jerusalem state of mind, freeing us from all captivity, and renew us by your everlasting love and grace. Amen

Tower of David

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)

Gratitude is acknowledging the goodness of God in all situations.  It’s very challenging to maintain an attitude of gratitude when difficult things happen. Brain science studies have found that gratitude affects our brain chemicals, and studies show that feeling gratitude activates key regions of our brain, which process feelings of being rewarded. Everyone wants to feel a sense of reward, and gratitude is the key. 

The Bible agrees with science on this, because there are hundreds of scriptures in the Old and New Testament, that teach us to be thankful in all circumstances and to enter His courts with praise, which is the will of God for us. 

There is a difference in thinking grateful thoughts and speaking those thoughts. Entering His courts with praise, implies using words to show our gratitude to God. It also means speaking to ourselves and to others about the goodness of God. Gratitude is meant to be expressed, and it’s a language that changes all of us for the better. Both science and scripture reveals the same truth, which leads to the conclusion that practicing gratitude is the key to peace of mind and contentment.

Practicing gratitude is even more beneficial than winning the lottery. When I lived in Waukegan, Illinois,  in the late 1980’s, I knew a man who actually won $1 million dollars by playing the lottery. I was so happy for him, but his response was surprisingly somber, and he flatly answered, “It’s not enough.” 

Wow, his negative response really shocked me. Wealth does not change someone’s brain chemistry, but gratitude does. 

Paul tells us to give thanks in all circumstances, in both good times and bad. This scripture is relevant in my life recently since in the past few months, I’ve developed sciatic pain from spinal stenosis.  I never had a spine problem until this year. I finished eight weeks of physical therapy, and felt better, but a few months later, my pain worsened. At about the same time, I developed foggy vision in my left eye which was diagnosed as corneal edema. I’ve been healthy my whole life, but lately, I’m walking in pain and seeing through a fog. I now notice other people who appear to be walking in pain. It’s definitely made me more empathetic towards others. 

I found that it takes an intentional effort to speak words of gratitude. I am reshaping my thinking and taking control of my words, as I choose gratitude, in order to develop a brain chemistry for a sense of contentment. Our victory will be won by our faith, but to live by faith, we need to practice the language of gratitude. 

I found it helps to take my eyes off of my problems and focus on the good things God is doing. I do this by listening to other people’s stories of healing, grace and mercy. It soon reminds me of the grace and mercy I experienced at different stages in my own life. By listening to other people’s stories of miraculous protection, healing or blessing, it brings my own good memories to the surface, and hope rises within like a healing balm.

Jesus healed people 2,000 years ago, and He still does today. There are many testimonies of answered prayers, healing and deliverance on Christian media sources, in radio, internet, TV programs and publications. Jesus told us to ask, seek and knock, so we never give up. We need to live with the healthy balance of gratitude, hope and faith, yet keep that Jesus perspective, by saying, “Thy will be done.” 

After a week of eyedrops and practicing the language of gratitude, the corneal swelling is gone, and my eye is getting better. I need to keep practicing the language of gratitude and take whatever the next step is to tackle my spine problem. 

My foggy vision seemed like a metaphor, that we are all walking by faith and seeing through a fog, since we don’t have answers to why some things happen in our lives. A day is coming when we will see everything clearly. We will see every good thing that God was doing all along, behind the scenes, for our eternal benefit.

We can trust in His love, and pray like Peter in Acts 4:30, “Stretch forth your hand to heal, with signs and wonders, done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

With words of thankfulness, we show God that we trust Him. We trust in what He is doing, that we cannot see. We trust that He promised to never leave us, and we trust that He has new mercies and blessings for us tomorrow. 

This is the language of gratitude, which God wants us to speak in all circumstances, which will transform the chemistry of our brain, and produce the peace that is beyond human understanding, sealed by our faith.

Lord, we praise you and ask that you help us to be thankful in all situations, to practice the language of gratitude through our words, which not only pleases you, but gives us peace through our faith. Amen

“In my distress I called to the Lord;

I cried to my God for help.

From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.”

Psalm 18:6 (NIV)

There are times when God sends a human being, who responds to our cries of frustration at the most needed time. That person may think they are just doing their job, or offering the least they can do to help, but it means the world to the person they are helping. That would be the definition of an earth angel, which is a term I first heard from a resident at the Nursing home. 

I encountered my own earth angel this week, when I recently applied for a new Cook County property tax relief fund, which is offered to residents whose property taxes increased 50% or more. It gives a resident the chance to receive $1,000 toward their property tax bill. After applying for the tax relief fund, I was invited to the second phase of the application process.

Everything was going smoothly as I answered the questions and submitted the documents, but then I received a response that the proof of residency submitted was older than 30 days. I quickly sent a more recent utility bill, but received the same robotic type response as if they never received the updated one. The only phone number given to ask questions, was one that only permits a voicemail with no option to speak to an actual human being. 

After leaving two voicemails with no answer, I muttered under my breath to the Lord that this whole process seemed hopeless, with no way to speak to a living person.  

I was in a mindset to give up and after dozing off on the couch at 4 pm in the afternoon, I was awoken  by a phone call from Cook County. 

A very kind, polite lady told me that I submitted the utility bill under the wrong section, so it could not be used as proof of residency. She explained that I needed to submit it to the right section to prove my residency.  

She was patient and kind enough to stay on the phone with me as I resubmitted the utility bill to the correct part of the application. She waited and confirmed that all was good and her gentle voice was so reassuring. It was like speaking to an angel instead of a  cold, disinterested government employee. I thanked God for hearing me and sending me an earth angel. 

Sometimes we face problems that get so frustrating, we feel ready to give up, but God sees our distress and our words come straight to His ears, as today’s Psalm describes. 

He sends compassionate human beings to meet our need. They think they are simply doing their job, but for the one who is helped, it means everything. 

I heard a true story this week of two young men who left their troubled countries in the Mideast, to seek asylum here. A teenager from Egypt who is a Coptic Christian came here seeking freedom of religion. He speaks only Arabic and after locating a Coptic Arabic church in a nearby suburb, he longed to go to church, but he had no driver’s license or car. 

The other young man was from Jordan, and he also spoke only Arabic, but he had a car and a driver’s license. He offered to take him to church. It may not sound like an unusual story, but the interesting thing is that the man from Jordan, who drove him to church, was a Moslem. 

It’s a story of showing a simple act of kindness to someone who is not within a group that one would most relate to. 

It’s heartwarming to see kindness shown by a person from one faith, to help a person of an opposite faith, by driving them to their house of worship. I would call that man an earth angel. 

God hears our cries, and He sends individuals to help another individual experience His lovingkindness. The grace of God sees people for who they are, not based on their title, label or their group identity.  Earth angels imitate that grace, not living in an “us verses them” mentality, but only seeking to show the love and kindness of God as they know it. Earth angels treat each person with human dignity.

Lord, inspire everyone to spread peace in the world  by imitating your grace, treating individuals with dignity, instead of thinking in labels or groups. Help us to be the earth angels you send to others. Amen

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”

Matthew 6:19-21 (NAB)

I retired two years ago, but I can never forget one special day a few months prior to my retirement. God brought three people into my path on the same day, as if to present them to me as three gifts.

They were all people who worked at the same hospital all the years that I did. One was a surgeon, except, instead of being with him in the usual surgical environment, we had the rare opportunity to talk when he wasn’t operating. We reminisced about people who we both worked with over the years, as well as funny situations that made us laugh. He asked me what I planned to do as I neared retirement and it was a brief yet rare moment to talk, in the busy atmosphere of a hospital. 

Right after that, I met up with a doctor from my department of Neuroscience, who I saw daily. 

He told me he just came from an upper management meeting to discuss future hiring in our department. The question arose whether to replace my position after I retire, and he told them, “Maria is not replaceable.” I laughed and thanked him for his kind words. 

The two conversations will always remain in my memory since they were such special people and I was blessed to have worked with them. 

As that work day ended, while I was walking out the door of the hospital, I recognized a man who has worked there as long as I had, but in a different department, who I rarely saw over the years. The interesting thing is that he and I shared a very unique connection.

He married his bride the same weekend as my wedding, which was my second marriage to Stephen in 2002. We both  coincidentally booked the same honeymoon cruise and were surprised to see each other aboard the cruise ship. Since then, we returned to the same workplace for all those years, working in different departments, and I hardly saw him much during  all those years. That day we were walking out of the hospital at the same time and greeted each other on the way to the parking garage. He told me that he and his wife of 21 years have five children. It was another rare interaction that brought back happy memories of my marriage, honeymoon cruise, and also Stephen’s passing from ALS. 

After we said goodbye and went to our cars, I thought about those three men, the conversations with each of them, and how they were like three gifts sent by God, that day. 

The chance to chat outside of surgery with a surgeon I always liked and respected, was one gift. The kind words of the best neurologist in my department was another gift. The man who I never saw much, but happened to be exiting the hospital that day, was like a metaphorical gift, representing all the memories stored up over the years at a workplace that I was soon to exit in retirement. 

We bring nothing with us when we leave this world except the love we give and receive from others. We are meant to store up lasting treasures, instead of perishable ones. The legacies that are most valued by God are not those carved on tombstones, but in the hearts of people we touch during our lives. I am thankful for the many people from inside and outside of my workplace whose legacies remain in my heart. 

Lord, thank you for the people you have brought into our lives who are a legacy to treasure. Make us a blessing to others which will last forever. Amen

“At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.” 

Luke 1:39-40 (NIV)

Faith in God is described as a valuable pearl in the gospels, and those we befriend who share our faith, are as valuable as the pearl of faith itself. We benefit in so many ways by having wise friends of faith, who know us, but also know the Lord. They not only share our faith, but also our joys and sorrows.

Mary shared a lifelong and special friendship with her older cousin, Elizabeth. They weren’t the kind of cousins who grew up as childhood playmates because of their age difference, but they shared a bond as women of faith, who loved and trusted God.

After her initial shock of a divine conception, Mary was so thrilled, she couldn’t wait to tell Elizabeth. She submitted to God’s plan, and was overflowing with joy, which is evident by her most lengthy response of praise in scripture, expressed in the first chapter of Luke. 

Imagine how Mary felt, having a visit from an angel, greeting her with “Hello favored one!” and then telling her that a conception has just taken place by the Holy Spirit within her womb. She was to be the mother of the long awaited, hoped for Messiah. Then Gabriel told her that Elizabeth had also conceived a child, though she was beyond child bearing age.

After receiving all this glorious news, Mary joyfully and quickly got ready to take a trip to visit Elizabeth. It would have been difficult to share news of a virgin conception with just anyone in those days, but Mary knew that if anyone would believe her, it was Elizabeth. 

So Mary traveled by donkey, 90 miles, to the hill country of a town called Ein Karem, where Elizabeth lived. We all know the story of how  Mary stepped into the house, and the baby in Elizabeth’s womb jumped for joy. These two women had a friendship that transcended all generational and geographical distances.

When Mary and Elizabeth finally reunited, they exchanged stories, and learned that the same angel, Gabriel, was sent to announce the birth of their miracle baby boys. What an amazing family with these two special women in it, who both became a part of God’s salvation plan. 

I can imagine the discussions that were made in heaven, to arrange for that day when Gabriel was sent to appear, first to Elizabeth’s husband Zacharias, announcing the birth of John the Baptist and next, to Mary to tell her about Jesus. Mary and Elizabeth were now connected by more than being relatives and best friends. They and their wombs were part of the divine salvation plan of Almighty God. 

Mary had to be selective in choosing who to share her exciting news with. It was well worth the ninety mile trip to meet with the one person she knew would believe in her and rejoice with her. Sometimes we need to be selective in who we confide in, especially regarding matters of faith. 

We may have friends of faith like this, some who live nearby and some who live far away,  but thanks to cell phones, cars, and airlines, we have easier ways to keep in touch with them. To have a community of friends who we can be truthful and vulnerable with, is like having a cherished, priceless pearl. They make us feel safe, which is why Jesus told us not to throw our pearls to swine, to be trampled under foot. 

(Matthew 7:6) 

If you have a likeminded friend or relative who understands you, believes in you and shares the perspective of your Christian faith, it’s a gift from God. I am thankful for the friends in my life. I’ve been blessed with new friends, as well as those I have known for years. 

I’ve made friends in churches and through my workplace over the years. Some live nearby and some live out of state, but I’m glad I don’t have to travel ninety miles to share any news with them, thanks to cell phones and other manners of communication.

This is a tribute to every valued pearl of friendship, whether new or from years past, and I thank God for all of you and pray for His blessing upon all your friendships today. 

Lord, thank you for enriching our lives with friends who share our faith. Unify and strengthen us through your Spirit and bless every pearl of friendship in our lives today. Amen

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established.”

Proverbs 19:21(RSV)

I made an appointment in November, to have my mechanic order and install four new tires for my car. We scheduled the date, I put it in my phone calendar and the plan was made. I like planning ahead, and being a planner can be an asset, but at times it can become a liability. We, who are planners, are easily thrown off balance when things don’t flow as we expected. 

Mark is one of four residents at the Nursing Home who I regularly visit each week when I go to see my son. He recently had cataract surgery, which failed, leaving debris floating throughout his eye. He is a kind man with a strong faith in God, but when his cataract surgery failed, he was visibly worried and anxious. He has a history of depression and he told me that he was slipping back into it. I tried to encourage him that it will all be okay, and prayed with him a few times. 

The doctor scheduled him for a corrective one hour procedure called a vitrectomy. Mark told me that his procedure was going to be done at the hospital where I used to work, so I planned to visit him in the pre-operative area, before he goes to surgery that day, which he was happy to hear.

When he finally received the date for his surgery it was on the exact day of my tire appointment. I asked the Lord, if He wanted me to be able to visit Mark before his surgery, to work everything out according to His perfect timing. 

I was to drop off my car at 8:30 am and Mark’s surgery was scheduled for 12 noon. It sounded like it could all work out. My only doubt was that my mechanic, who is honest and highly skilled, tends to work very slowly. I hoped he would be done by 11:30 so that  I could get to the hospital in time to visit Mark. I prayed every day leading up to that day, for God’s perfect timing.

Every obstacle contrary to my plans seemed to happen that day. The mechanic didn’t finish until 11:48, and as I was driving to the hospital, the road was completely blocked due to construction. I took the detour route and still arrived at the hospital by 12:00 noon. I was wondering if he would still be there or would already be taken to surgery. 

I rushed to the pre-operative area, praying for God’s timing. When I arrived, he wasn’t there, because he was in the area of ambulatory surgery, further down the hall, where eye procedures are done. I rushed down the hall to that pre-surgery area, thinking that nothing at all is going according to my plans. 

At this point, I whispered under my breath, “Lord, if this is all part of your perfect timing, I’m gonna have a very good story to tell.”

At 12:20 I finally arrived at the correct pre-op area and they told me that Mark was still there. It turned out that his surgery was delayed until 1 pm, due to a previous case in that operating room. I should have known that surgeries never go on time unless it’s the first case of the day. Better yet, I should have known that God’s timing was at work all along. Mark and I had time to talk and he seemed calmer. 

Even with all the bumps along the way, everything went according to God’s perfect timing. It turned out that the nurse who came to take him to surgery was someone I once worked with and we greeted each other with a big hug. Mark knew he was in good hands and was taken to surgery in perfect peace. 

Just as the word of God says, many are the plans in our minds, but the purpose of the Lord always prevails. It’s always best to seek God’s purpose first. When we think our plans are being derailed, we need to remind ourselves that God’s timing is always perfect.

Lord, thank you for listening to our plans, but help us to remember that your timing and purpose always prevails, because You know best. Amen

“How do you know me?”

Nathanael asked. 

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

John 1:48-49 (NIV)

That brief, mysterious first exchange between Nathanael and Jesus shows us how deeply moved he was when Jesus said the words, “I saw you under the fig tree.” 

We don’t  know what Nathanael was thinking or doing under that fig tree, but we do know that he didn’t think a Messiah would ever come from the town of Nazareth. When Philip first invited him to come and meet Jesus of Nazareth, he skeptically replied, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Most people expected the Messiah to come from a city of noble background and history, which Nazareth was not. 

Jesus knew Nathanael as well as his thoughts, and to prove it, He said, “I saw you under the fig tree”. Those words were significant since Jesus wasn’t anywhere near him the day he sat under that fig tree.

Knowing how overwhelmed, sad or frustrated Nathanael was, Jesus’ words revealed that He loved and cared for him, long before he ever knew who He was. Scripture never tells us what was on Nathanael’s mind. Maybe Nathanael questioned whether God sees or hears him at all. Whatever it was, the defining moment happened when Jesus told Nathanael that He “saw” him, even though He wasn’t physically there at the time. Those words convinced him that He surely was the Messiah. 

If we think about it, we’ve all had fig tree moments. It might have been a time after receiving fearful news, or a serious diagnosis for ourselves or a loved one, or having to take on a challenging responsibility. It’s in those times that Jesus finds a way to show that He knows what we are going through, and cares for us. He is near to us in our pain, because He already suffered in every way that we do. 

I’ve had many fig tree moments, but the most recent ones were related to my son’s traumatic brain injury. This may be a repeat story to some readers, but while Jon was in a coma for two weeks after his motorcycle accident, I used to go to the UPS store to pick up his mail on the way to his hospital. One day a person who I never saw before, was at the front desk. He brought me Jon’s mail, and said, 

“I want you to know that I have been praying for your son every day.” Hearing this from a total stranger, was for me, a sign of comfort sent by God. That was one fig tree moment for me.

There was another incident, on the day I brought legal documents for guardianship to the bank. I was telling my banker about Jon’s accident, and a total stranger in the bank, came up to me, saying that she overheard me talking, and asked my son’s name so that she could pray for him. That was another fig tree moment. 

Fig tree moments remind us that God sees us in the times of our greatest distress, and just when we feel alone, wondering if God is near, He sends a sign to remind us that He sees us, and loves us. So, when we think no one knows what we are going through, Jesus sends a person or a sign that speaks to our heart, as if to say,

“I saw you under the fig tree.”

Lord, thank you for loving us by sending us signs confirming that you are always with us. Open our hearts to trust you through all the fig tree moments of our lives. Amen

“So, as the Holy Spirit says:

Today, if you hear his voice,

 do not harden your hearts.”

Hebrews 3:7-8 (NIV)

When I was in my early twenties, I had a fun job working in the Merchandise Mart of Chicago. Long before I went into the medical field, I managed a one person commercial furniture showroom, giving price quotes to dealers, architects and designers. 

It was an easy, good paying and  stress free job. One of the perks was an annual furniture show, where every company in that industry, showcased their newest designs to professionals in the field. There were social events to follow each evening of a three day convention, where I met many people in the commercial furniture sales and designer industry. 

After meeting some of the sales people who came in for the convention, I remember sitting and talking with one salesman, in particular, whose name was Woody. He was from a nearby midwest state and as we briefly  chatted, I felt a strange urging to bring up the subject of my faith, but it just didn’t seem like the right time or place to talk about God. 

I ignored the prompting, and went on to socialize with other people.

I was probably too self absorbed at the time, to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit amidst the noise in the room that day.

A few weeks later, I was shocked and saddened to hear that Woody committed suicide. I felt horrible and since then, sharing my faith with others, became a passion, since I regretted ignoring the Holy Spirit and missed my cue to share my faith with Woody. 

Fast forward twenty years later, when I worked in health care at a local hospital. It was a very slow work day, so a coworker and I were sitting in the Neuroscience lab, talking. He was telling me how difficult life was for him as a parent of a disabled daughter, who required a lot of specialized care and attention. He and his wife were overwhelmed with work schedules and trying to care for their daughter.

I had no experience or advice to offer him, but took the opportunity to pray with him right there, in that empty lab where we worked. I had no idea how that prayer would change his life, but I wasn’t going to miss any cues again, as I did with Woody.

Since that day and that prayer, he wholeheartedly invited Jesus to take over his stress filled life and was so grateful. He and his family moved out of state, where he found a better job and a more affordable cost of living, making it possible to provide better care for their daughter. He sent me a letter saying how his family’s lives have changed for the better, because of their renewed faith in Jesus. I was astounded that it all began with a simple prayer in the lab that day. 

The Spirit was obviously drawing his heart closer for some time, and I just happened to be there at the right moment to pray with him. When Jesus said to go into the world and preach the gospel to every person, He wasn’t speaking  only to ordained pastors, deacons or priests. He sends all who know Him to share their faith with others along the way. We don’t need special credentials to do this, but only to listen to the Spirit, speak and pray as prompted. 

That missed opportunity with Woody still makes me very sad, but I use it to motivate myself to listen to the Spirit, despite the noise of this busy world. I am still learning over time, to hear the Spirit’s voice and not harden my heart, knowing we are all God’s work in progress. 

When I reflect on these past experiences, I am more aware of the possibility that whoever I meet today, might have been sent into my life for a purpose. 

God intended for all of us to build each other up in the faith, and to hear His voice amidst this world’s noise.

Lord, thank you for loving and holding on to us, despite our failures. Help us to share your love with those who are sent into our lives for your purpose. Amen

“The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior, who will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, who will sing joyfully because of you.”

Zephaniah 3:17 (NAB)

Zephaniah tells us everything we need to know to inspire us to worship. He says that our Mighty Savior is in our midst, and He rejoices over us and renews us in His love. In essence, we worship God for how good He is, and how He loves us, more than for what He does for us. 

Jesus renews us in His love, and everyone needs constant renewal. Problems, worries, illness and pain can spiritually wear down all the faith, hope and love that we have. We need to be regularly renewed in God’s love, and that happens through worship. 

I remember once being in a church where a beautiful worship song was frequently sung. The lyrics say, “surely the presence of the Lord is in this place…I can hear the brush of angel wings, I see glory in each face….” The song reminds us of many unseen realities. We need to remind ourselves that worship is ongoing in Heaven.  

Worshipping God is every angel’s sole desire, so when we worship, it attracts angels to us. We can worship God anywhere, but there is something sacred about the gathering of a group of believers in church. Jesus said that when two or more people gather in His name, He is in their midst. When we worship in church, we should have a heightened awareness of His presence. 

This past weekend, while I was in church, the bread and wine was being consecrated, reciting the words that Jesus spoke. I was sitting in the end seat of a pew, with no one bedside be, and at that moment, I felt a gentle puff of air, a breeze brushed by me as if someone quickly passed by. I looked at the aisle on my right, to see if anyone was there, but there was no one. Then I looked up to see if there was a vent in the ceiling, that may have blown air on me, but there were no vents. I know I felt a fresh breeze of air, so I wondered if it was an angel or angels walking toward the altar of the church, at that sacred moment.

There is an entire world of beings that we do not see, and I thought about how the presence of God is always with us, but especially in church. So much is happening in the invisible realm, even though we are unaware. We could be chatting, distracted or even thinking about what we need to do after church, and all the while, oblivious to the presence of the Holy Spirit.

I was not super focused on that invisible realm at that moment, until I felt that mysterious breeze brush by me. It reminded me that Heaven comes down to join us in worship. Angels, though unseen, may be standing at the altar of our church each week. Worship evokes action from Heaven, and they respond to our worship, if only we had eyes to see it or ears to hear it. 

The apostle John had a detailed vision of Heaven. He described all kinds of action that goes on 24/7.  Revelation records that there were twenty-four elders bowing down before the Lamb, who is Jesus. Each of those elders were holding a harp, as well as golden bowls full of incense, which contain the  “prayers of the saints.” Scripture often uses the word saints to refer to all believers. (Revelation 5:8)

According to John’s vision, our prayers are collected in golden bowls, burning fragrant incense before the throne of Jesus. It all revolves around worship, where there is kneeling, bowing, singing,  fragrant incense, harps and other instruments playing to worship God continuously.

The scripture today is a reminder that Jesus, our Savior, is in our midst and He rejoices in gladness over each one of us, renewing us in His love. If we can keep our focus on those words and John’s vision, we can redirect our focus to unite with Heaven and worship the Lamb when we are in church. 

I wasn’t very focused on that unseen realm, until I felt the puff of air or an angel brush by me in that moment. If we could be more aware of His presence and all that is taking place in the amazing but invisible realm around us, we might have a richer experience in church during worship. After writing this meditation, I found the attached video, someone made  at a nearby church, showing angels present. 

Lord, thank you reminding us that so much is happening in the invisible realm all around us. Increase our faith to always focus on your presence when we worship. Amen

(A video taken at a neighborhood church)

Angels caught on camera at St. John Brebeuf Church Niles Il – YouTube

(The worship song )

Surely the Presence of the Lord is in This Place – Don Marsh (Lyrics) – YouTube

“And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” 

Isaiah 6:8 (RSV)

Isaiah was once transported to visit Heaven and later described everything he saw and heard, as strange as it sounds to read about it. What an awesome feeling it must have been to stand in God’s presence, but he also felt very unworthy, confessing that he is a man of unclean lips. 

After Isaiah said that, a Seraphim angel picked up a burning ember with tongs and touched Isaiah’s lips with it, declaring him purged from his sin. That burning ember was taken from the altar of incense that burns in Heaven. Isaiah’s visit shows us that the fire that comes from Heaven, does no harm, only good.

Then Isaiah heard a thundering voice that echoed throughout, asking “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” He immediately responded, saying, “Here I am, send me!”

The Holy Spirit seems to always appear at different times in scripture through some form of fire, yet not a destructive fire, but a fire which forgives, heals, purges, speaks wisdom, lights the way and empowers people for action. 

In all the fiery manifestations of the Spirit, whether it was the burning ember that touched Isaiah’s lips, or the burning bush which spoke to Moses, or the pillar of fire that lit the Israelites’ path at night, or the tongues of fire that appeared over the heads of those filled with the Spirit on Pentecost, each moment of fire required an action from the people who were there.

The Holy Spirit seems to look for action, more than words. He asked Isaiah, 

“Who will go for us?” 

When Moses encountered the fiery bush, the voice of God said,

“Now, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt.” 

When the Israelites arrived at the sea, and Pharaoh changed his mind, by chasing after them, that huge pillar of fire positioned itself between the people and the Egyptian army. Despite the amazing protection of God’s fire, the Israelites were not meant to stand still. They were sent into action, and told to go toward the sea. Moses acted by lifting his staff over the water, and the sea parted miraculously for them. In each case, action was required by people, as the Spirit led them.

On Pentecost, the disciples were filled with the Spirit, after a flame of fire appeared over each one’s head. Peter addressed the crowd and preached his best sermon ever. Between Peter’s sermon and the disciples speaking in many unlearned languages, thousands of foreigners in the crowd believed in Jesus, on that day. The only action required by the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, was to open their mouths and speak. 

As I wrote this meditation, I didn’t plan it to be a theme about taking action, but the Holy Spirit kept redirecting the message and reminding me of scripture passages about taking action. 

I don’t know what action He is asking us to take, but He is calling each of us through His holy fire, asking, “Will you go for Me?”

We are guided by the same Spirit as Isaiah, Moses and all the disciples at Pentecost. When we find out what action He requires  of us, we can respond in the spirit of Isaiah, saying,

“Here am I, Lord, send me.”

Lord, we pray to receive the fire of your Spirit, which forgives, heals, purges, speaks wisdom, lights our path and empowers us, to take whatever action you want us to take. Amen