The Same God
I am fresh returning from an 8-day mission trip to Belize. Along with 12 other women, I made the trip of a lifetime, and the impact won’t soon be forgotten. After an eventful day of traveling on Saturday, we touched down and began to work immediately on our prep work for the events to be held during our time there. Then Sunday morning, still haggard and jet lagged, we donned our Sunday best and tried to look as fresh as we could in 96-degree heat, high humidity paired with a severe lack of air conditioning, and without the creature comforts we are accustomed to in our cushy lives here in the States.
The church was Caribbean Blue on the outside, a small, single-story building made out of concrete and simple landscaping. There was no paved parking lot, just an invitation to drive on up to the front. We were welcomed in by the Pastor and his wife, plus the entire congregation were all excited to meet, welcome, and hug us! With a bright yellow interior and accents of burgundy throughout, the sanctuary had seating, and a small projector screen in the center for worship lyrics and videos. There was no AC or mini-splits, just several heavy-duty oscillating fans to push around the hot, thick air. There was no mood lighting or dimming of lights, no fog machine, no click tracks, no band - just 3 beautiful women of God opening up the service with worship.
All of the worship songs were similar to what we hear on any given Sunday, with the exception of “Graves into Gardens,” which was sung in Spanish, matching the words on the projector. As that familiar song was playing in a language I did not understand, the entire congregation worshiped with eyes closed, lifted hands, singing with loud voices of pure praise and unashamed worship; and it was there that God spoke to me.
I am the Same God.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever. - Hebrews 13:8
“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the Lord, “and not a God far away? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. - Jeremiah 23:23-24
He IS the Same God.
He was present with me some 3000 miles away from Winterville, NC, where my home church was experiencing His presence simultaneously. He inhabits the praise of English worship the same as Spanish worship; He doesn’t discriminate. He goes where His children are, whether that’s in an 800-seater sanctuary with air conditioning and a coffee bar or a tiny blue church with loud fans and a tiny projector. He is the Same God.
Is this the Same God that I worry about impressing with my articulate (or lack of) prayers or wonder if my worship posture is humble enough for Him? Did I point enough people to Him through my social media posts last week, and is my Bible reading and devotional time pure enough? Am I enough? I wrestle with these thoughts often, an insecurity that comes from not understanding who He really is.
He is God Almighty, Yahweh, the Alpha and the Omega. He is the Same God who spoke the world into existence, yet He knows every hair on my head and thought about me enough to have created me to carry out a specific purpose in this life.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” - Revelation 1:8
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please forgive my inability to see You for who You truly are. You are the Same God who created the Heavens and earth, who gave Your Son Jesus as a sacrifice so that I may spend eternity with You. You know everything about me and love me for who I am and who You created me to be. I pray that I would recognize Your presence in the mundane and ordinary places, and not just in the expected comfortable places. Allow me to see Your children for who they are, where they are, and continue to build this beautiful testimony in me. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
The church was Caribbean Blue on the outside, a small, single-story building made out of concrete and simple landscaping. There was no paved parking lot, just an invitation to drive on up to the front. We were welcomed in by the Pastor and his wife, plus the entire congregation were all excited to meet, welcome, and hug us! With a bright yellow interior and accents of burgundy throughout, the sanctuary had seating, and a small projector screen in the center for worship lyrics and videos. There was no AC or mini-splits, just several heavy-duty oscillating fans to push around the hot, thick air. There was no mood lighting or dimming of lights, no fog machine, no click tracks, no band - just 3 beautiful women of God opening up the service with worship.
All of the worship songs were similar to what we hear on any given Sunday, with the exception of “Graves into Gardens,” which was sung in Spanish, matching the words on the projector. As that familiar song was playing in a language I did not understand, the entire congregation worshiped with eyes closed, lifted hands, singing with loud voices of pure praise and unashamed worship; and it was there that God spoke to me.
I am the Same God.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever. - Hebrews 13:8
“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the Lord, “and not a God far away? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. - Jeremiah 23:23-24
He IS the Same God.
He was present with me some 3000 miles away from Winterville, NC, where my home church was experiencing His presence simultaneously. He inhabits the praise of English worship the same as Spanish worship; He doesn’t discriminate. He goes where His children are, whether that’s in an 800-seater sanctuary with air conditioning and a coffee bar or a tiny blue church with loud fans and a tiny projector. He is the Same God.
Is this the Same God that I worry about impressing with my articulate (or lack of) prayers or wonder if my worship posture is humble enough for Him? Did I point enough people to Him through my social media posts last week, and is my Bible reading and devotional time pure enough? Am I enough? I wrestle with these thoughts often, an insecurity that comes from not understanding who He really is.
He is God Almighty, Yahweh, the Alpha and the Omega. He is the Same God who spoke the world into existence, yet He knows every hair on my head and thought about me enough to have created me to carry out a specific purpose in this life.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” - Revelation 1:8
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please forgive my inability to see You for who You truly are. You are the Same God who created the Heavens and earth, who gave Your Son Jesus as a sacrifice so that I may spend eternity with You. You know everything about me and love me for who I am and who You created me to be. I pray that I would recognize Your presence in the mundane and ordinary places, and not just in the expected comfortable places. Allow me to see Your children for who they are, where they are, and continue to build this beautiful testimony in me. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
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Posted in The Glory
4 Comments
So good, Rebecca! 🙌💛🙌
Thank you for this word, Rebecca. So so good!
Wow, Rebecca! You wanted/prayed for God to speak to you....And, HE surely did!! This is indeed good!
This is so good! What a great reminder! 💜