Camp Meeting Devotions - Day Twenty-Seven

  In the year 1859 in Castlederg, Ireland, a normal worship service started with congregational singing. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary when the first stanza was sung. Onward they sang the second. Suddenly a man fell to the floor. A large strong man. Not wanting to disrupt the service the man was immediately removed from the sanctuary. Nice and orderly. God had something else on His mind that day. 

Eyewitnesses report what happened next. "The whole house was filled with the glory of the Lord, the singing had to cease, there was nothing through the house but sobbing and sighing, some calling for mercy and others rejoicing in the sin pardoning God. The Lord was present in mighty power."

The poor minister totally lost control of the service. God will not be boxed in by our traditions or carefully controlled worship services. He will do what He wants, when He wants, how He wants, and to whom He wants. The glorious presence of God persisted for several hours. Foolishly the minister offered the benediction to dismiss the crowds six times. They did not listen and remain fixed and focused on the presence of God. 

We cannot control God. He is a powerful force. When He shows up in power, people cannot be the same. He cannot be tamed. He refuses to be confined to our preconceived ideas of what He should do. He will not be manipulated into doing what He does not want to do. He is Almighty. When He moves in the fullness of His power, He blows in like a hurricane. Everyone is affected. Sinners cannot find shelter to hide from convicting power. Hypocrites cannot hide from His all-seeing eye. The saved devote themselves to serious supplications for those in need of God encounters. The church is impacted and soon the community around the church.

Do we really want any of that? We are used to routine worship services that wrap up in sixty minutes or less. They are often good but devoid of the full presence and power of God. People are not drawn into God encounters. Do we want God to fully come? We will lose control, as if we were ever really in control to begin with. 

Zechariah 12:10 (NASB)
¹⁰  "I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.

Such moves of God result in conviction and piercing weeping that might make others feel uncomfortable. Orders of worship may be disregarded as God does His work. Mourning may supersede rejoicing as people feel the misery of their sin and impending eternal doom. This is messy. Services may prolong as people meet with God. The religious will be on the outside looking in wanting things to go back to normal. Like the minister trying to dismiss the service six different times but getting ignored. 

Bitter weeping accompanies God movements. Tissues are needed. Stamina is required. When God decides to move powerfully among His people, time becomes irrelevant with meetings lasting for hours. Many times, even after the service has ended, the work of God persists in homes all hours of the night. Do we dare dream of such? Such moves of God cannot be controlled. Not by the worship minister. Not by the pastor. Nor by the congregation. Tears may replace singing. Bitter cries may drown out the preaching. Altar calls may extend later than planned. This is just some of what God does when He comes in power. 

• Describe your reaction to reading about the account from Castlederg.
• Do such accounts scare you or intrigue you? 
• Contemplate ways you have tried to control the work of God in your life?
• Consider ways we try to control God in public worship? Do you really want Him to come in with hurricane force?