COME....SEE GOD....

As many of you may remember, I journal each day, as my Jerry does, using a method that allows us to read each verse once a year and the New Testament verses twice. After journaling so many years, our bibles are marked up with dates which indicate, "I wrote about this!" It's surprising how many verses still pop out and say, "Write about me, too!" Noisy book, our bibles, aren't they? Your bible, too, is marked up...my guess, or you probably wouldn't be reading about mine.

Any way....I skipped church yesterday as I had fallen and marked up my face quite badly, and it hurt. I hate to miss church as it's so great to see new and old friends, give folks a hug, and sing and pray together, which today brought me right to reading 2 Samuel 6, 1 Chronicals 13, Matthew 17 and Psalm 68. The latter, verse 2 in the Message, sent me to the computer.

"One look at God and the wicked vanish. When the righteous see God in action they'll laugh, they'll sing, they'll laugh and sing for joy." This is a David psalm, perhaps written at the time he brought back the Chest of God to the City of David now called Jerusalem.

After much turmoil, David finally succeeded. The Chest of God was returning. David danced in the street, the people danced with him and everyone was singing and laughing with joy. It was a joyous time.

But not for everyone. Michal, Saul's daughter and one of David's wives was not joyful at David dancing in the street. (Let the wicked vanish!) She did not dance & sing, or laugh with joy! (Beware, Michal. Where is your love for God?)

Jerry and I attend a Sunday contemporary praise service at Victory Lutheran Church on University Ave. in Mesa AZ. The music at that service is led by a great giant of a Christian man, big in size and even bigger in God's Spirit. It is truly a place where singing and laughing take place as well as the learning of faithfulness. God is everywhere, not only in the music, but in the message and the people. You can see God in each face. He is present. The righteous see Him and carry Him home with them into their daily lives. Yet, we always come back for more, more learning and more yearning to know God better and better, and to see Him more completely.

There are those who scoff at contemporary worship. I suppose they are feeling God deserves a more proper, royal aknowledgment. I am very glad that this church allows God's presence wherever His people congregate. I am not a royal. I am a commoner. And I like to sing in His presence, and clap my hands to the music, because I'm listening. I'm listening, Lord, to your people sing and preach, to your musicians play, and I see the joy on all the faces. I think...yes! I think they're reflecting my own!!

So, let the righteous see God in action.

Come! See God!

Your friend in Christ.....Jo