Honestly last night I was feeling a little bit discouraged and was beginning to fall into some self pity.
I read about an incredible Burn in France, had talked to my friend who’s doing a Burn in Seville, Spain tomorrow, and felt a little behind on communication while being at home. I’ll admit sometimes it is hard to stay in a place when you feel like part of your heart is elsewhere.
Instead of just thinking about that all night, I decided to take a minute (and that’s all it takes), bless God for what he is doing around the world without me, and thank him that I’ve gotten to take even a small part in some of it.
I also decided to head over to Burn Nashville which was going on tonight. I remember driving down and taking part in a 3am set during the first Nashville Burn over the summer where there were about 6 people 3 of which I’m pretty sure were asleep as I was alone on stage just playing the djembe (I love times like that)!
Tonight however I walked in and there was a full band and a room crowded with people dancing like crazy.
It’s interesting because while I love and know so much of the European and International Burn 24/7 Family, I don’t really know that many people in the States, not anyone in Nashville.
Even though I was born and raised there I guess our Church of Christ acapella singers weren’t quite yet networked in with the flag waving full drum set playing other church musicians so I can’t expect to be too much in the know.
It is humbling in such a freeing way however, to walk into a place that feels so much like home at home but not have anyone know who you are. I kind of like times like this because it when all positional authority, networking, and accomplishments seem to lose their value outside of what God is saying about them. And usually God isn’t saying a lot about those things…
As I was watching everyone worship their Lord so undignified, I was blown away with the fact that in that very moment I could only begin to imagine how much glory God was receiving, but not just in that room.
In that very moment there were some Burns just starting on the west coast, some just ending in the UK, some continuing from the night before in Asia and countless more groups of fiery Christians who have never heard of Burn and much less even know what “burn” means in english meeting all around the world.
I was overwhelmed.
Both overwhelmed with joy due to the fact of how much God’s kingdom is on the move and overwhelmed with sadness and anger of how much I hear that the Church is dying all over the world.
I can’t help but wonder how much God is wanting to show people how he is moving but they are too busy either trying to convince people how bad things are getting or critiquing those who are trying to change things to see it.
The church as the Bride is the one hope that the world has to experience perfect love from our heavenly Father through Christ the Bridegroom.
That’s just how God designed it.
Too often we talk about the how ugly, unprepared, unworthy, and broken we are as the Bride, and unfortunately much of the Church predicts and almost seems to wish that evil will inevitably grow and that the Bride will become more and more beaten and weak until Jesus comes back.
Tonight I saw beauty, joy, hope, faith and love. It was the Bride at it’s best and it’s best is contagious and unstoppable.
This is the will of Christ for his Bride and I refuse to entertain any other reality.
Just like I would have never had any idea what Burn Nashville was if I hadn’t left the country for 3 years. I can only imagine what else I have no idea that God is doing both through and apart from me.
God’s Spirit has always been on the move and the question has never been if God will get what he wants, but will the people he wants to do it through agree with him and join him.
What's God's Point? 
Spot on. “…but will the people he wants to do it through agree with him and join him.”
Gosh, this is so good.