The Vortex, The Cross

The first of these visions began two Sundays ago, the week of the youth retreat.  I saw what seem like a slow turning vortex turning in the center of the sanctuary gathering "wisps" of worship that seemed to be coming off of the hearts of people as they were singing.  The vortex seemed to strenghthen and seemed as though it was going to become much stronger (I attended 2nd service.)  This made sense later, when I saw all of the youth flooding the third service, where an intense worshiping took place.  I imagine that vortex must have become much like an F5 tornado spiraling worship up to the throne of heaven!

This week, when I entered the sanctuary, again at second service, I saw the same thing, except instead of "wisps," I saw butterflies flying up from the hearts of the worshipers.   How interesting that one of the symbols of the resurrection would show up in this particular vision, on Palm Sunday.  The butterflies also amassed and turned in a spiral like a vortex in the center of the sanctuary, as in the same way as last week.  There was a sense of worship building over the  duration of the service, an "adding to" if you will.  I would love to hear what happened in third service this week!

In addition to this, there was an additional, striking visual that caused my heart to open and my knees to buckle as I absorbed the obvious significance of it:  When we were invited to come write our sins on the banner laid out between the two artists on the runway in front of the cross, during worship, I suddenly saw the red drape around the cross at the end of the platform run red like blood.  The blood ran across the runway and flooded the banner, where all the sin had been written down.  I didn't actually make it up there during that song, because I was overwhelmed by the visual.  I did, however, go up during the invitation song, and when I wrote my own sin on that banner, and I thought about the blood spilt at my expense, I found myself weeping over that runway...not just in guilt..but in thankfulness...that Jesus would love me THAT much... that he would love YOU...THAT much.

How appropriate that the music being sung was Michael Liter's words:

Your blood...has washed away my sin,
Jesus thank you
The father's wrath... completely satisfied
Jesus thank you
Once your enemy... now seated at your table
Jesus...THANK YOU!

A Beautiful Stirring

I wanted to say I am so very sorry for not publishing anything for so many months.  It has been one of those seasons in my life where I have been so completely and utterly overwhelmed with, well, um...everything that I've just done my best to put one foot in front of the other.  I have recorded many truly amazing visions that have occurred in our sanctuary over the past 6 months...and I'm debating whether I should go back and try to re-explain, or just pick up from here...maybe you could leave your thoughts on that in the comments section, or maybe the thought will just strike me... But I do know that lately I have seen a "rippling" during worship.  It has started at the back of the sanctuary and it travels to the front where the worship team is.  It gathers around the feet of the worshippers, like the Holy Spirit is pooling around us.  When people pour out their hearts, the water rises up around us and we are surrounded, but it is not like a drowning feeling, more like a light, joyous uplifting presence.

There also has been a unique experience that I have seen take place over time with a particular song that has transformed into something quite beautiful. Deborah Liter sings a song that has the lyrics "I desire Jesus," in it.  Now I will just let you know that I am terrible at quoting anything, so I don't know if that is the name, and I won't try to give you any more of the words, but it is a very sweet, sweet song where she sings most of the words without the rest of the worship team.  The very first time I heard her sing it, was in practice and I saw an amazing spiritual connection.  The song has been sung several times since in church and many people have begun to sing along with her.  Last week, I saw the same connection, but this time it was a heart connection from her, to all the worshipers, and then the Holy Spirit tied into that connection.  In the vision it looked liked a connection of lines from heart to heart, with one line pulling them up to heaven.  As the spirit pulled the line upwards, it created a picture of a tent,  our own sanctuary of praise.  The lines became golden and there was an urgency on end of the Spirit to pull the praises to the throne of Jesus.  As all the lines reached the Almighty, the water that had gathered around our feet in worship, rushed up and crashed around the throne of the Lord as our heart string of praise were raised to Him.  What a beautiful stirring, offered through the sacrifice of volunteers who give up hours of their time to lead us in praise, and bring us to Him. 

My heart leaps with joy!