What is a girl to do during Covid, heading into a second lock-down…unable to go to church for 8 months? 

God provides.

This morning I woke up, wishing for church, experiencing the love of Christ so powerfully and a connection I love so much. As I read Matthew 6 it came alive in a way like never before and after a bit I heard God say “let’s go for a walk”. We headed out, worship music in my ears, Jesus at my side….and God created an entire church service just for me.

It started with a couple of warm-up songs, then I hit the park at the end of the street that leads to the beach. I thought I was heading to the beach but He took me a different way. As I walked a beautiful path, water to my right, a park to my left, and a beautiful path framed with trees before me He put on the song “Rattle!” by Zach Williams – Ezekiel 37:4-10 “…’Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’ So I prophesied as I was commanded,…….But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.’ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.” 

My walk continued, up a great hill, down a special path, into an area of town I hadn’t seen yet, music playing, God choosing the playlist as we walked together. Down a hill, – oh look – a beach. Down a long flight of stairs to the beach and the expansive waters and skies. Music playing,…a song ends….another does not start…. the sermon begins, given by the Holy Spirit:

Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life. He is my love, my provider, my all in all. All other religions and philosophies fall short for one and only one reason. Jesus is so amazing and without Him, we miss out on all the best stuff, all the fun, all the joy, all the peace, all the adventures…without Him…the religion or philosophy may satisfy our temporary soul but with Him, we experience our eternal spirit and see beyond this life. This life is important, it is a piece of our story, it is a piece, a section of our eternity. Our eternal spirit sings to our Lord in praise and worship, simply because He is. This is what life is about.

The silence ended, I didn’t touch anything to make it happen, the music began. Songs of praise and worship. Standing on the beach, people only in the distance, the breeze almost completely still, the water gently moving on the beach, the clouds covering the sun. Worshipping, worshipping. Eyes closed sometimes, open others. Then opening my eyes to see that I have been joined by glorious angels, all the way up and down the beach – angels that are mighty and glorious and huge. Angels so devoted to Our Lord and so devoted to me. Tears falling down my cheeks as I stand there worshipping with the angels, many, many angels, more and more coming simply to worship and enjoy this moment with me. Singing with me and with the music. Great gratitude washed over me. Gratitude that they chose to serve and worship Our Lord. They could have fallen and focused on themselves. They, like satan, had that choice, but they chose to serve Jesus, and they chose to minister to me and His people (Hebrews 1:14). Such gratitude for this choice, leading to the incredible gratitude to Jesus for coming to earth to save His people. Hundreds of angels lining the beach, worshipping, and then the 2nd strongest sense of Jesus I have ever had (the first was when He introduced Himself to me). Jesus, right there in front of all of us, above the water, in the sky, huge, almighty and powerful…so many songs passing along as I experience this…each one perfect for the message He is sharing, each one hand-selected by God Himself, delivered by the Holy Spirit.

I didn’t know if I could handle any more and then I submitted and said “You know what I can handle” and then a song ended and “The Blessing” came on. I am not a public person, I struggle with raising my hands in church, so concerned about public displays, and right there on the beach I had no desire other than to kneel before Jesus to express My gratitude to Him and receive the incredible blessing He was giving. The song, an amazing song, blessed me and my family for thousands of generations. The sun broke through the sky, shining gloriously on the water, the beach, and my face. Kneeling down, worshipping, experiencing heaven here on earth. 

Now THIS is church! 

Walking back, I bumped into someone on one of the trails. He commented on the weather…apparently, it was supposed to be cloudy and rainy the whole day….but look at the sun.

Does God change the weather for His children? Certainly! Does He put together a playlist and choose a trail for us to follow? Without a doubt. Does He even provide the choir to sing? Absolutely.

A church service, designed perfectly….for me. 

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