He Is Mighty To Save

We attended a Christian concert last night--the first I've been to in years. Back when I was a charismatic I went to many and loved them. But the music wasn't the same. Or maybe I'm not the same.

The concert was billed as Jeremy Camp's but Bebo Norman and Natalie Grant took up the first hour and a half before Jeremy showed up. For three hours we heard wonderful inspirational songs, some of the words we could understand--some not so much. The building was crowded, sold out, both in tickets and to Jesus.

I loved hearing the ministry of these young people; loved hearing them lead the audience in praises to God. Memories of past meetings where people raised their hands and moved with the music, even shouting praises and singing along with the performers, reminded me of how on fire I was when I first met Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

I'd always known God back then, knew Him from the time I was very young. Jesus was a baby in the manager and who was the Holy Spirit? I'm not sure I'd heard much about Him although I knew there was a Spirit because I sang, "Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me."

June 21, 1971. I'll never forget that day--the day I met God anew, Jesus became real and the Holy Spirit appeared.

Last night I listened to music that doesn't appeal to these ears today. When Natalie sang "It Is Well With My Soul" acapella and we sang along with her, I was once again filled with Him as I had been in the past. When Jeremy sat at the piano and sang "Saviour, He can move the mountains. My God is mighty to save",a song we're familiar with at church, I experienced God's presence and could sing the words.

The audience of all ages knew the songs. A woman next to me said she goes to all these concerts and she had to be in 40s or 50s. She sang along, as did an Asian man nearby, a man and his wife with two sons who sat behind us, and so many others.

Jeremy and Bebo are involved in Compassion, International and gave moving accounts of their involvement with the organization. The Albuquerque children's home was chosen as the local charity to be given gift cards at the event. We had a booth where many came and took information and asked questions.

These young men and the young woman are sold out to Jesus and are giving their lives to bringing Him to people. What am I doing at my church? What is my church doing? Do I hear testimonies like theirs from our people? Do I see people with their arms around each other praying as I did at the intermission?

I used to and I long for that again. I pray our body, as well as all the churches in this city, will experience the wind of the Holy Spirit that will lift us out of the complacent way we worship God and fill us with the excitement and fervor we had when we first met our Saviour.