Lately, I’ve been finding myself in my personal worship time using the sign for “fire” right over my heart, but going outwards and upwards just like this guy on this youtube video does many times:
If you go to 3:19-3:22 on that video, that is exactly what I’m talking about. Actually, PLEASE watch the whole video for yourself. You might not understand the ASL, but his signs are pretty powerful, and if you turn on captions, you can see the song lyrics. I’m finding has a quite powerful message for us. Now, I sometimes play with that sign that showed up at 3:19 and change the sign so that the hand extends outward from above my heart in different directions. Let’s say, one hand goes to the right, the other goes to the left, or even one going upward, the other going downwards. After all fireworks do that — they explode in all directions to make a beautiful spectacle.
What is really amazing about the way it is signed in the video at 3:19-3:22 is it presents the concept of both projecting outwards while at the same time surrendering or committing yourself wholly to something. Think like you are totally opening your heart to the Lord, and pursuing Him with everything that you have got, holding back nothing. And that is not all, in doing so, you make a spectacle for the rest of the world to see. And when people see it, they will be drawn to it. Think about it: people come in great numbers to see fireworks. They don’t come because they were forced to come, they come because they are drawn to the spectacle.
Let’s think about how we as church can make a firework for the rest of the world to see. For starter, it comes right from the heart. Surrendered hearts. People are driven away when we try to tell them they are wrong or otherwise try to force our ideas on them. Why not rather actually live our ideas, and invite them to join us if they dare? Show them how beautiful it can get when we live a life that is in total abandonment to God. Allow God to explode you with His love for the people that we might meet out there. Over and over again!
-Tim
October 17, 2011 at 7:35 am |
Absolutely beautiful. That’s really neat about the flame spreading out for all to see. It makes me think of Acts 2 when the Spirit came. Imagine what that must have been like.