I simply snuck out to go to the restroom, mid-service, when others were hand-shaking and introducing…
I needed a reprieve from the full day we had planned. Little did I realize that often that’s when heaven wants to encounter us…
When your silent, distance, far from anticipating it. When you’ve given nothing to get it.
And I think about grace, a “free gift”. Something we can’t formulate, wrap it in a package, or give it to ourselves like some self-earned present…
The greatest gifts of heaven are free, undeserving, least expected.
Like this encounter I discover on the way to the bathroom.
She stops me and tells me about where she is going. How the Lord has been directing her, then later how her conversion was a powerful encounter.
That’s when I had to ask her. “Will you share how you came to know Jesus.”
The story went on. About a girl from Asian growing up Buddist.
How family and friends would exclude and disown her if she ever converted to Christianity.
How she had never read the Bible, went to church, or was preached to by any of us, so called-Christians…
But, this day in the states, she was sick. God took her to her knees. In her pain and suffering, she opened a random Bible and started reading scripture.
Then there, alone, in a room with no powerhouse preachers, no radical evangelists…She gave her life to Jesus.
As a result, she saw heaven open, and tongues of fire inflaming her. She wept and wept although she had never cried. It was culturally unacceptable…
She met Christ in that moment. Gave her heart to Him completely willingly, in that moment.
Afterwards, His peace engulfed her. And she stood up whole, completely healed from her sickness.
And I wondered there in the hallway of the church how we complicate the gospel…
Why do we work and labor and try to earn the right to be children of God, when His calling is a present, His invitation, a free gift?
I open scripture this morning and read about His call…that call crying out within us for more…
My commentary says even Jesus 
saw an open heaven.
And was anointed as Messiah, there in the water with John the Baptist. His life changed radically soon after that day.
And I think about how Jesus had no sins needing forgiveness. He was perfect, God incarnate, born of His Spirit…
And yet, even Jesus never attempted ministry until the Spirit of His dove rested upon Him…
Until heavens parted and the Father whispered…
“This is my son of who I am well pleased.”
So, why do we think we can do ministry apart from Him?
And I wrestle with this notion of weighted Christianity, where the yoke isn’t easy, the burden presses down and we make the gospel an anchor instead of the scissors, cutting the captives free…
And I want the world to know the same power than came upon John Wesley as He stood on His soap-box to preach.
The feeling of His glory that brushed across the disciples when Jesus breathed
on them in John 20:22, and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
I mean, Jesus had walked with them, still Jesus needed to breathe on them and give them Him Spirit?
And how much more, us who haven’t walked physically or talked with God, need H
is breath of life?
How
much more is it grace, that God comes and encounters us, giving His Spirit of Life to go out and do ministry?
Sinlessness doesn’t prepare us for ministry. Sanctification and working hard, or laboring in religious works of goodness doesn’t bring life or power, or the closeness of the Father’s breath near us…
It’s only by His Spirit, and it is solely a gift of grace.
I keep talking to my friend in the hallway. And a Grandmother from Congo passes us to go to the bathroom. She is shining this day in her traditional outfit…
She was baptized last week. And I can tell the difference.
Her joy reminds me, we are not saved by good works, but by grace and His mercy.
- Let’s stop complicating the gospel.
- Let’s let go and trust His hand to guide and lead us.
- Let’s open ourselves to the same God who found my Asian friend, sick and seeking Him…
- Let us open scripture and know His Word speaks to us, if we will hear.
- Let us come to the water and emerge ourselves in His truth and goodness…
- Let us remember, it’s not by strength, or by might, but by His Spirit we can live for His glory….
Anything else is plastic.
Yes, I have learned, apart form Him, we truly are nothing.
Every good thing and every sustainable ministry came from encountering His breathe, understanding His dove descending, experiencing an open heaven.
Yes, every great work of ministry can only be done…
By the power His Spirit.
It’s all a work of grace.
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18 Comments
Your post is beautiful, Jen. God’s plan of salvation is so simple that even a child can understand it — we don’t need to gild the lily, just to share His Word. Thanks for hosting & God bless.
Yes, Laurie – It’s so uncomplicated! So glad He honors our faithfulness, not our perfection. 🙂 Heard a quote the other day that said, “The only people you will ever find, are broken.” LOVE that!
Thank you for hosting!
Thanks for your continual participation in UNITE, Debbie!
I’ve been pondering the story of Jesus’ baptism lately – how He came to where we are, so that we could be lifted up to where He is. Thank you for adding beautiful words to make the story live for me.
Michele – Oh friend, the thought of that…A perfect Savior, residing in a glorious heaven, coming to a corrupt world, to die for us, imperfect people. SUCH love! And how could we NOT want more of that…more of HIM? Thanks for sharing!
Yes, it’s all of grace. God, forgive us for the times that we make it all about something else.
Michele – Yes, oh the times we shift the focus from Him. But then..His mercies, anew every morning! Such a gift!
I was just talking to my daughter about grace today! Thank you for the confirmation that the message is crucial regardless of where we are from or where we are going. Visiting from #RaRaLinkup 🙂
Angela – So glad this message hits you on a day God already had it on your heart! He is so good like that, isn’t He?
What a precious story!
What a well timed loo visit.
Love God revealing Himself to people like this and pray for such an encounter for my Muslim friends.
Hi Mary – I am not sure it was an encounter as much as it was the verse, opening up a soul that had been hurt. Love that we can live a wall-less existence and that grace is the answer…each and every time. Praying for your Muslim friend to find Him…the only way, truth, and life.
This is such a great message. You’re right, why do we complicate the gospel? When did everything get so “religious”? Other countries are so much more responsive to God’s Word than we are, it blows my mind how very frigid we can be compared to their reckless abandon of worship. We stand to learn a lot from them!
Awe friend, reckless abandon praise of Him! Oh what could bring Him more praise? Thanks for the follows and for joining us here at UNITE!
What a beautiful story and encounter! God loves to show us grace and remind us of what is really important, doesn’t He?
Oh Sarah – Yes. He. Does. Confounding our mind…and going straight to our hearts!
Thank you for this inspiring post, Jen. The word of God truly has power to change lives, and your story of the converted young woman proves it. Thank you also for hosting a linkup.
Yes, Sarah – May we too tattoo His words on our hearts, never forgetting who He is! Thanks for stopping by!