Growing up in church I’ve always heard the phrase, “Come just as you are” thrown around but I’ve never really thought about what this means. As I was worshipping in service Sunday morning, the meaning hit me. God is holy, yes, so we should never enter His presence in a flippant manner, but with reverence and humility. However, God is also merciful and longs to meet us where we are, in our sinfulness, our brokenness, and even in our doubt. The power of coming into the presence of a holy, merciful God in the right spirit and bringing all our baggage is an encounter with this God who has the ability and desire to change us from who we were to who He wants us to be: a whole, joyful, righteous individual full of the life God intends for us and free from everything that keeps us in oppression and bondage.
It in worship and in the presence of God Almighty that transformation is possible. During the MOVE conference as Asbury Theological Seminary this past week, this reality became more evident to me. The speaker was addressing the hard headed believers who hold back from fully allowing the Spirit to move in them and through them for fear of releasing control. As much as I hate to admit it, this is me. God requires us to risk and step out into the unknown of His will. Although I know God has my best interests at heart and will never require me to do what He will not equip me to fulfill, the fear of the unknown and a loss of control of my life is a scary reality. The speaker asked us hard-headed Christians to step into the symbolic river of surrender and pray for each other. I stepped out. No one prayed for me, until I returned to my seat. My next door neighbor, a passionate and compassion older woman came over to me during the closing worship set and simply asked with a smile, “Has anyone prayed for you?” I smiled and told her no, no one had. She smiled and put her hand on my shoulder and prayed the power of the Spirit into my life. After she did this she leaned over and said into my ear, “Last night the speaker said something that made me realize something new. He said that in Scripture it said the Spirit has not come because Christ has not been glorified. That’s what we’re doing in worship right now. We are making Christ glorified, and the Spirit is here!”
This is the power of worship: corporate worship, with songs and praises and the hearing and speaking the Word, as well as private worship, with prayers and a daily life of surrender and proclaiming Christ with your life. Perhaps this is part of why Paul says “Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS! Again I say, REJOICE!” As we approach the presence of God (which, make note is everywhere) with a sense of understanding that we are in desperate need of God in our lives for healing, transformation, and revitalization, He meets us where we are. As we worship, corporately and privately, lifting up the name and glory of Christ, the Spirit floods us and provides us with the power for transformation and enlightenment. Here is where we reach an impasse: do we respond and allow the Spirit of God to change us? Or do we resist and stay in our stubbornness, sinfulness, and selfishness? A holy God requires a holy life; a righteous God demands a response. Choose this day who you will serve (Joshua 24: 15).
“You come are You are
And I come as I am
And Grace covers shame
You come in Your power
And I bow down
And Grace covers shame
You come like a flood
and I will rest in this "Hallelujah "
You come as You are
and I come as I am
And Grace covers all of me”
-Watermark
It in worship and in the presence of God Almighty that transformation is possible. During the MOVE conference as Asbury Theological Seminary this past week, this reality became more evident to me. The speaker was addressing the hard headed believers who hold back from fully allowing the Spirit to move in them and through them for fear of releasing control. As much as I hate to admit it, this is me. God requires us to risk and step out into the unknown of His will. Although I know God has my best interests at heart and will never require me to do what He will not equip me to fulfill, the fear of the unknown and a loss of control of my life is a scary reality. The speaker asked us hard-headed Christians to step into the symbolic river of surrender and pray for each other. I stepped out. No one prayed for me, until I returned to my seat. My next door neighbor, a passionate and compassion older woman came over to me during the closing worship set and simply asked with a smile, “Has anyone prayed for you?” I smiled and told her no, no one had. She smiled and put her hand on my shoulder and prayed the power of the Spirit into my life. After she did this she leaned over and said into my ear, “Last night the speaker said something that made me realize something new. He said that in Scripture it said the Spirit has not come because Christ has not been glorified. That’s what we’re doing in worship right now. We are making Christ glorified, and the Spirit is here!”
This is the power of worship: corporate worship, with songs and praises and the hearing and speaking the Word, as well as private worship, with prayers and a daily life of surrender and proclaiming Christ with your life. Perhaps this is part of why Paul says “Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS! Again I say, REJOICE!” As we approach the presence of God (which, make note is everywhere) with a sense of understanding that we are in desperate need of God in our lives for healing, transformation, and revitalization, He meets us where we are. As we worship, corporately and privately, lifting up the name and glory of Christ, the Spirit floods us and provides us with the power for transformation and enlightenment. Here is where we reach an impasse: do we respond and allow the Spirit of God to change us? Or do we resist and stay in our stubbornness, sinfulness, and selfishness? A holy God requires a holy life; a righteous God demands a response. Choose this day who you will serve (Joshua 24: 15).
“You come are You are
And I come as I am
And Grace covers shame
You come in Your power
And I bow down
And Grace covers shame
You come like a flood
and I will rest in this "Hallelujah "
You come as You are
and I come as I am
And Grace covers all of me”
-Watermark
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