God is all about drawing people into His love.
His presence is like the strongest magnet – bugs to the light – and the Kingdom is all around, present, and powerfully at work within us. And better yet, we get to be greater instruments of reconciliation in this Kingdom as we seek His heart!
God is also all about the stirring of hearts.
Here, I'll prove it.
Evenings at our Albergues on the Camino were always interesting…
Who likes music?
Who doesn't, right?
Some nights, we would sit and talk over a community meal, when others were filled with abounding laughter, epic music, and what seemed to be never-ending song.
Damon, our worship leader and musical genius, could play anything on the guitar… and he did.
I specifically remember one night in a town where I walked upstairs to take care of some logistics and all of a sudden, I heard the flawless plucking of strings. Before you knew it, it sounded like a chorus of angels mixed with two guitars in an acoustical set-up from the heavenlies. It got to a point where I just had to see, so I looked out the window and down into the courtyard only to see people from all over the world, not just us, gathered up singing with all they had – some standing and bouncing around, others sprawled back in a chair as to say, "this is the life". From the classics of the 70s to worship of today, all hearts joined in.
You can say that spirits connected because of the music, but is that just it?
Is it the music that handled the connection?
I believe that when a generation gathers to sing a song of praise, God hears us – and moves.
Would you say that people are always watching?
Are others more aware of our every move than we tend to think?
I began to notice that the answer to that question is without a doubt, yes.
A few days later in León, Spain, we stayed in a monastery for the night, and next to it was a great courtyard with an ancient church and a café bar. As a common occurrence, we sat and talked over Jesus' model of leadership as a group. In doing so, Peregrinos began to approach us and ask, "are we going to play and sing tonight?"
Remember when I mentioned that everyone becomes known for something on the Camino? I got excitingly asked a number of times, "Oh, are you with the group of Christians!?" (Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there were others equally discontent with the fact that we were Jesus followers, but such is life.) Nonetheless, the men of Kingdom Journeys became known as the group of traveling Christians – and people were intrigued in saying so. You can say that it was because we weren't in-your-face Christians, because we didn't force anything down people's throats, or maybe even because we were attempting the Camino as one great-sized group (they say 'it can't be done'), but it's clear to see that people are drawn in because the presence of God manifests in His kids – "you are the light of the world".
I remember that evening in León, sitting around a table and peering through the corner of my glasses over the shoulders of my friends to see people attentively listening in on our conversations about Jesus. If it weren't those times, it was people finding us on the trail and asking deep questions into the night or better yet, asking us to pray over them because they had heard. (By the way, in the Europe that I know, people don't seek out Christians – we are a dying movement of the past to them.) I also think of the people unknowingly attached to us like the scallop shells that adorned our packs. They would listen in, and were always curiously adherent to our every move.
What moved me most was hearing the faint whispers of song fly from the lips of onlookers as we sang praises to our King. They didn't know the words, but tried as to say, "I want in!" I noticed that people would sit in their chairs many feet from us, leaning in, and before you knew it, they would be inches from us looking over our shoulders. I remember almost bursting out in tears as I heard the faint cries of song just over my shoulder. Why did that stir me up so much? That's where it all starts! I remember those days as if they were yesterday. You remember… The whisper within saying, "there's got to be more", which led to questions, which led to an eventual "God, I want in!"
You see, it's not our soap box preaching, hyped up evangelism conferences, or even quaint church services that 'get the job done'. You want to see people's hearts stirred and the nations drawn into that which is truly the liberating love of God?
Live in His presence.
The Kingdom itches…
