Heavenly Host

One of the most powerful things I have experienced as a staff member of Buckhead Church is group prayer. We regularly break up into groups and pray at our staff meetings over issues and events that have come up, specific requests for friends and family and for the attenders of our church. Since I’ve been on staff we have had a couple times that we gathered in one big corporate group and prayed over several staff as they are leaving for another job or ministry and over our elders as they start their service.

This week we got an email from our campus pastor, Jeff Henderson, that our staff meeting was going to be a time of worship and prayer since we as a staff have suffered several significant losses lately and know that many of attenders have as well. I never want to take for granted that my boss finds this important and wants to nourish us in this way, nor that I get to take an hour out of my busy work week, sing to the Lord of my life, praise Him for His faithfulness and pray for the concerns of our hearts.

When we have sessions of prayer, and mornings like this, my mind wanders and I can't help but wonder about the unseen in the room. We are promised that when 2 or more gather in His name we know that the Lord is with us (Matthew 18:20). I believe that the spirit world of angels and evil is very much alive and well and swirling around us constantly. I’m sure I would be scared to death if I could see it, but my mind imagines fantastical things of what had to be surrounding us while we have our heads bowed in prayer and am thankful for that promise.

This has been a tough year for many. The sermons I keep hearing, the verses that keep popping up, the random Charles Stanley podcast that took over my car speakers this evening (eerie!) keep instructing me to listen to God, and to remember, above all else, His past faithfulness. And that by those past instances of faithfulness I can trust Him to carry me through, heal and restore, lead in His way, and know that He is there and in control.

One of my favorite artists is Nichole Nordeman. No secret there. I was listening to one of her older songs today. It's simply called Gratitude. And what a lesson: gratitude in times of blessing and gratitude in times of want. Now that's an exercise in faith.

Gratitude
Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
What we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace

But Jesus, would You please . . .


----------------
Listening to: Hillsong - You'll Come (Live)
via FoxyTunes