How do I even attempt to explain what time in this cabin is like? Suffice it to say God meets me here. I spent a good deal of yesterday in prayer. Praying for the revival of course. Asking Him for direction about what to preach. Listening for His instructions. Praying for my family. Praying for the Spring Creek flock. I even took a prayer walk. I concluded the day with some reading.
It is difficult to try to describe encounters with Yahweh. It is frustrating reaching for language that will never fully explain what I have already experienced. As I wrote the day before, this is sacred soil. I come to this prayer cabin to seek and soak in God. I have no other agenda. Complete isolation. Uninterrupted hours of solitude. I bring a hungry heart for more of God.
Sitting still before Him requires discipline. Often my mind wants to rush ahead with the next thing on my to do list. An ever expanding list. There are always sermons to prepare, blogs to write, phone calls to make, administrative details to plan, a flock to shepherd, a new book to write, and well you get the picture.
To intentionally slow down, slow the mind, and sit still before God takes focus. If I hurry through devotions, He seldom speaks to me. If I come unhurried into His presence and linger, He often penetrates the clutter of my mind with words of instruction, affirmation, exhortation and at times rebuke. I crave Him. I yearn for His words of life more than anything.
I sat at the little dining table pouring my heart out in prayer yesterday morning. I asked if He had anything to say to me. Slowly a picture formed in my mind. A picture of me trying to preach in brokenness and tears. All I could manage to say was, “Come to Jesus.” With that picture and those words in my head I knew the first message for the revival.
Later that day while prayer walking, I felt deeply impressed with four revival prayers. “More Lord.” “Do it again Lord.” “Bend us Lord.” “Shake the city Lord.” I rushed back to the cabin so I could write them in my journal not to forget them.
Then last night. After reading a chapter in a book about God revealing Himself and speaking to people through various methods. I closed the book, set is aside on the couch, and bowed my head. I asked if there was anything God wanted to reveal to me. I sat still before Him for some time. After several minutes passed a message formed in my head. I like to equate these times like someone tuning into the right frequency on a radio. When I got tuned in the message came. Clear instructions about the upcoming revival. I hurriedly jotted those instructions down in my journal.
When it ended, and this encounter did not last long, I sat awed. Humbled that God would choose to speak to me. Humbled that He would choose to use me. Who am I? Just an average middle-aged guy from east Texas with many flaws. I am not worthy. Not worthy to be His child, His preacher or to ever have Him speak to me. What a joy to commune with Him.
He has already met me here. I have two full days left before I return. I can’t wait to see what encounters God will bring to me next. The pursuit of Him continues
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