Once upon a Worship

Thursday, February 28, 2013 Posted by Sara

I see better with my eyes closed.

At least, this is what I felt God speak to me one day during worship. When my eyes are closed, God tells me the best stories.

It always reminded me of Jeremiah's exchange, where God asks him a time or two, "What do you see?" Jeremiah sees pictures and God begins to explain the meaning behind them.

"The word of the LORD came to me: "What do you see, Jeremiah?"

I see the branch of an almond tree," I replied.

The LORD said to me, "You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled."

-Jeremiah 1:11, 12

When I close my eyes in worship, I invite the Holy Spirit to come and use my imagination to show me pictures and tell me stories so that I might know Him better.

More than anything, its these pictures and stories that I take with me from worship. I try to discipline myself to write down what I "see". And time and time again as I go on with my life I'll see God breath on these pictures and show me their meaning through scripture or revelation.

One of the first pictures God ever gave me during worship was of an army. I saw a worn-out army standing on a hill and Jesus rode up to them on a white horse. He began to encourage the army and handed them each a "weapon" for the battle. Curiously, everyone was given a white rose to fight with. It's here that God said to me, the white rose means intimacy, and he began to speak to me of the overcoming power that comes from intimacy with Christ - that it was, in fact, the church's greatest weapon over darkness in our world.

I bought a white, fabric rose from Michael's that sits in my room to remind me to always make knowing Jesus my priority and remember it's from this place that I gain my greatest strength.

I pray that if God has formed you to also see stories unfold as you worship, that you would follow His lead to close your eyes and "see".

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you..." -Ephesians 1:18