One Thing Ohio

After you read this post, read the next one, too ... Be blessed!

Friday and Saturday in Wilmington, Ohio, hundreds of teens, young adults, young families, parents, grandparents, and more gathered to worship and pray and hear a clarion call to the life of prayer, worship, and wholehearted devotion to God. I stood in awe watching the young people in abandoned worship, faces raised to heaven, arms reaching high, sometimes tears streaming, other times with shouts of joy. I danced in abandoned worship, too, with people of all ages who celebrated the goodness and beauty of our Beloved King, Jesus!

But what took my breath away more than all of that was watching the response to the altar calls. Saturday morning: "Who here feels the call to devote their lives to worship and prayer?" Hundreds raised their hands. "Who here is a musician or singer who feels a call to this?" More than a hundred went forward. Saturday night: "Some of you here feel a burning in your heart to be a forerunner." I thought to myself, "A lot will go forward." But the speaker did not call them out. Instead he pressed them and told them what it would look like to devote your life to a sacred charge -- a life of regular prayer, fasting, giving, serving ... far beyond what the average pastor would dare to suggest ... And I thought to myself, "Oh, about five will go forward." The speaker released the call to the altar for this, and to my great surprise what seemed like a hundred went forward!!

Who were these passionate youth surging to the front to answer the call to a life of prayer and sacrifice? Well, for starters, my teens and most of their friends who were there, too!! What does it mean? Lord, help me, I don't quite know yet. I've modeled a life of intimacy and prayer, somewhat consistently. But I know that I'm not ready to lead by example in this life of weekly fasting, giving 20%, serving in the community once a week, leading prayer meetings and Bible studies once a week ...and speaking boldly. However, I sure want to get behind them and support them in every way the Lord asks.

Who else wants to join me?