Cap’n Jim’s Logbook

Last Tuesday I participated in a relatively intimate worship experience, relative being 50 people as opposed to the 700 or so that join us on Sundays. We were privileged to be led in worship by Moi (not the band – just Moi and his guitar). BTW – thank you Lori Lynn for lending us your husband for the evening, we were all very blessed by your sacrifice. As Moi sang, I felt myself led to the throne of God. I don’t normally get emotionally caught up during worship; I am one of those people whose most difficult journey is the 18 inches from my head to my heart. However, last Tuesday I was there. I can only describe it as comfort food for my soul.

During the song “Better Is One Day” it hit me. Every time I have sung that song before, the image that came to my mind is one of a castle courtyard or the
Temple with God’s glory filling it. On Tuesday as we sang “One thing I ask and I would seek, to see Your beauty. To find You in the place Your glory dwells” it hit me like a bolt of lightening, God dwells in my heart! His beauty and glory resides within me! Whoa!

Now, maybe I am coming late to the party and this is what the song’s author had in mind all along when he wrote those words, and yes I am quite familiar with the scriptures pertaining to our bodies being the temple of the Holy Spirit and that Jesus lives within us, etc. but for me this was the first time I had made the connection in such a visceral way. It has caused me to rethink a lot of assumptions that I make about myself. I am a fella whose natural inclination and training is to see faults; it is very easy to catalog all of my vast and varied failings. It is another thing entirely for me to discuss my strengths and talents. And there I was, with God pointing out that my heart is the place He chooses to live. Oh My! I’m pretty sure some changes in viewpoint are in order.