I’ve
talked
before about a short-term mission trip I participated in that unexpectedly
led our small team to Erfurt, Germany. Erfurt, where Martin Luther attended
seminary, had been part of East Germany from 1945 to 1989. The church we
visited there had previously been a Communist Party social hall.
Thirteen
people had been killed by a gunman at a local high school. Without anyone
really understanding why, our team was diverted from its packed schedule to meet
with the young pastor at the church.
What
happened while we interviewed him, sitting in a pew in the church sanctuary,
still mystifies me. But the three of us – the pastor, me the interviewer, and
the cameraman – experienced something overwhelming.
With
the school tragedy just a few blocks away, we had been interviewing the pastor
about his ministering to the parents, teachers and children when something
surrounded us, silenced us, and led the three of us to individually and simultaneously
begin to weep.
Emotion
was being expressed, but it wasn’t emotion that surrounded us. It was a
presence. It wasn’t warm and loving; at first it was terrifying. And then
humbling. And then calming and secure, producing in us an exhausted resolve.
Silence
followed. The logical question was, “What was that?” But we knew, and the
knowledge itself was a thing of wonder.
Brennan
Manning, in The
Furious Longing of God, actually describes what happened to us in that
small church in Erfurt.
“Contemplation
of the furious longing of God is elevated to a dramatic level in those rare and
unforgettable moments when our faith, hope, and love are raised to an
unprecedented level by the Holy Spirit’s active intervention, much like being
in (a) boat when a storm hits. We are plunged into mystery… Self-consciousness
and self-awareness disappear. We are in the presence of the ineffable Mystery
above all creatures and beyond all telling.
“These
are moments of truth. You are alone with The Alone. God’s tender feelings for
you are no longer dry knowledge.”
That
describes what happened. I’ve never had the desire to repeat the experience.
Once
was more than sufficient.
Led
by Jason Stasyszen and Sarah Salter, we’ve been discussing The Furious Longing
of God. To see more posts on this chapter, “Unimaginable Love,” please visit
Sarah at Living Between the Lines.
2 comments:
That's a great illustration of what Manning is talking about. He draws us to Himself in unexpected and beautiful ways, but at the same time, they are overwhelming. Thanks Glynn.
chills running up and down my spine, relishing the presence He shared with you...
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