A Time to Mourn, and a Time to Dance

House of Worship - February 1, 2009

This week’s House of Worship began when the worship team gathered for fellowship and prayer, hours before participants would arrive. There was an unexplainable feeling of excitement for the night ahead and a thankfulness for the joy found in “simply” being together. The fact that we are united together by the same Spirit was especially evident in our hearts.

As the night progressed, the words found in Ecclesiastes 3 became prominent in my thoughts: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:…a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” There were plenty of things to weep and mourn for – sisters affected by cancer, a sister named Hope lost without the knowledge of true hope in her life, the testimony of a challenging life filled with situations of mourning and weeping, and the poverty of the children in Uganda. But there was also so much more to laugh, smile, dance, and rejoice about!

*The exuberant sharing of a new song - “Thankful,”
*The Nooma video, “Dust,” reminding us that God believes in us – we can be like him!
*The beautiful smile of Joan as her sorrowful testimony led to absolute peace and joy in Christ. (Previously being confined to a wheelchair, she was truly released from her frail, crippled body and spirit in order to pass on her hope in Christ while giving away wheelchairs to those in need in Uganda.)
*The passionate testimony of the team who were called by God to GO to Uganda, and how Mariza had the opportunity to challenge her Greek peers to join her in God’s mission.
*The excellent worship music producing shouts of joy, jumping, dancing, and soar throats, haha.

It was truly a night filled with blessing. God’s Spirit came and filled the hearts of all gathered, just as we had prayed. Thank you, Lord!

In honor of the joyful night filled with new songs, new faces, new instruments (yeah for the tambourine!), and new life in Christ, let me close with a portion of the song of Psalm 149:

"Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the godly!
Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
Let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
Let them praise his name with dancing,
Making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
Praise the Lord!”