Filled with a Cloud

2 Chronicles 5: 12-14

And all the Levites who were singers—all of those of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, with their sons and kinsmen, arrayed in fine linen, having cymbals, harps, and lyres—stood at the east end of the altar, and with them 120 priests blowing trumpets;

And when the trumpeters and singers were joined in unison, making one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and other instruments for song and praised the Lord, saying, For He is good, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever, then the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud,

So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.

First of all, why have I never noticed this before? The Levites worshiped with one voice praising God and the Lord came into their midst. He not only came into their midst, but filled the place with his presence rendering them unable to worship. All they could do was be encompassed in his presence. I don't know about you, but I'm not sure I experience God like that during worship. But, I want to. Yes, I want to.

I don't know where God's taking me. But, there's a lot of questions about worship, ministry, service, sacrifice, and standards of artistic excellence on my heart right now. And, I keep going back to the Levites, the old testament music ministers.

I have a deep desire to be a Levite. A life of worship and leading others in worship. I don't know what that would look like in our modern day church. If there is such a thing, or if that's something God's going to have to regenerate and help me pursue. I honestly don't know. Don't know what he's gonna do, that is. All I can do is study and tend to what He's put on my heart for now.

Fighting with Fire

I hate fights.

As a second/middle child, many of my traits fall into the peace keeper corner. Combine that with my name, which means peace, and it all starts to make sense like it was made up in a corny fairy tale.
Being surrounded with "qualities of peace" does that mean that conflict never happens? Oh, on the contrary. It's just that whenever conflict does happen- it must be resolved. Immediately. Lasting conflict makes me ill.

On Wednesday our young adult church group did a game/exercise where we pretended we were at a conference in front of thousands of people. We would be called on the spot and given a random topic to speak on. We would then have to explain the gospel through whatever topic we were given. There were a lot of "interesting" topics: hair spray, bubble gum, even sky scrapers. It was impossible not to be doubled over in laughter for most of these. However, there were also a few that literally took my breath away at how God managed to use a random topic to show his plan for us. One of them was charcoal. The other was candles.

I won't attempt at recreating what was said. But, what spoke to me most was God sometimes has to throw us into the fire to make us straight. Fights make me feel like I'm being thrown in the fire. And probably most important, and most painful, when I'm thrown in the fire my sinful nature rages in protest. In the fire, I see what I'm holding onto, or what's keeping me from being more like Christ.

That's why I hate fights. Sure, I might in fact be a peace keeper. But, most importantly, I hate fights because I'm sinful. It's impossible to be in a fight and not be reminded that you are not as good as you pretend to be.

So, here's to being thrown in the fire and allowing God to burn anything that's not of Him.