Mike Paschall . com

Sitting with my devotional earlier this morning, I was reminded again of some simple stuff that we sophisticated and institutionalized Christ followers forget from time to time.   Rohr:  “Thomas the Apostle symbolizes our temptation towards heady faith, so Jesus asks him to touch the wounds (John 20:27). Undoubtedly we have lived far too long in our heads.  We think we have to tell the gospel just right and systematically explain that our way is the way to “The Way”.   Again, the consumption is with our way…not His way.

The Sunday after Easter, Patti and I attended a big ole church where our son (in-law) Jon is on staff and leads worship from time to time.  It’s a monstrous place, lots of people, quality effects for every person’s appetite.  There was so much going on, so much to see and the music filled the place with such precision that I actually had the thought:  How does anyone ever get to Jesus in here?  It wasn’t a judgment, but more like a split-second ramble that just popped in my mind.  I mean, I’ve worshiped in some crazy atmospheres and been totally at ease in almost any situation, but on that day, in that moment, I questioned.  Immediately, I sensed myself walking down a quiet hallway in the midst of the worship center.  The music was fading and the special effects lighting was all moving behind me.  When I got the the end, I saw Him.  I cannot describe Him, but it was Him.  As quickly as the question came it was answered:  “You press through until you find Me.  Once you find me, reach out and touch Me.” Then in a moment, I was back in the room.  I was a slobbering mess.

I mention this little encounter because something happened to me that day.  I had been battling with a skin rash (hives) for months.  I had ask for prayer multiple times, gotten prayer more than once but was still clawing myself into bleeding scabs and was pretty much miserable most of my waking hours.  No kidding, the hives disappeared and have not reappeared since that day.  In fact, I didn’t realize they were gone until later that week when Patti and I were in Nigeria.  That is when it dawned on me that He was doing stuff “in” me while I was looking “at” Him.

There is probably a sermon in there somewhere and I fight the religious temptation to explain it all and put it in another formula for mass production, so I’ll stop while it is still simple.

-MDP-