A whole lot of Jesus

Yesterday, I had the amazing oppotunity to go to Lancaster, PA with a group of girls from my young adult small group. Yummy Cracker Barrel for lunch. Then, we went and saw Behold the Lamb (about the life of Christ), one of the Sight and Sound shows. And then spent 5 hours shopping. We actually closed the place out and had to be kicked out of a bathroom. Hehe! it really was SO so so much fun bonding together. Such a blessing!!!

Anyway. I was just thinking about the day and reflecting on the show we saw. The theatre itself, the stage, live animals (even a llama!), effects and use of technology, the talent of the people portraying the characters, the music...everything worked together to create this incredible experience. My mind was boggled at how they did some of the things. Like the stars above our heads when the disciples were talking at night. They looked like they were twinkling! Or, making Jesus walk on water by somehow infusing the actual stage with a video thing of a raging sea. SO COOL!

The most amazing thing though? In the midst of all of the talent, technology, artistry, and all of the details that go into making a show like that happen, God was at the center of it all. You could sense the presence of God in that place. Even before the show began, the announcer guy over the loudspeaker shared the heart of everyone participating the show...that somehow, through the show, we (the audience) would come to know Jesus more and to have a genuine relationship with Him. I was just blown away by the heart of, really, this ministry...rather than a production.

Another cool thing. You kind of feel like you're catching a glimpse of, maybe, what it was actually like to be there. Like a window, almost...however small. Sometimes, I feel like I've read and heard those stories and Christ's Words so much, I lose my sense of awe...like all those things are suddenly normal and not amazing anymore, everyday. Even that sense of spritual warfare raging for our souls. I find that all of these things sometimes become faded and more like pretty little stories and just a bunch of nice little sayings, rather than crystal clear real-to-life testimonies of the love of God, and the genuine, bold, rock-solid truth. Somehow, being taken back into time and seeing/hearing all of these things actually happen brought them to life again.
Like when Jesus healed the crippled man. He got up and danced around full of awe excaliming " I can walk! I'm healed! I can walk! " And he had so much joy! I couldnt get over the man's joy as he did cartwheels and a backflip and tried to dance. I know they took a little creative liscence, but really, what else could he have done? Again, I found myself almost astounded by his joy. I found myself thinking....where has MY joy gone? He's healed me of my own crippled parts....like fear and doubt. And death itself. I mean, I know we're not going to be happy and have good days all the time. BUT....there still should just be that deep, deep sense of peace..of God's presence just in all things, that drives me. Instead, i find myself distracted. And because of those distractions, de-amazed and de-awed. Oh boy! How I want to be captured and full of awe.

Or when Jesus cast those demons out of Mary Magdalene. Voice tech and an amazing actress have a way of really making things seem real. There was a part where, in the middle of the demons speaking, jesus asks for the woman's name and she barely squeeks out in answer to him with her real voice. Seeing that contrast, and then seeing how strikinlgy different her posture and very her being are after Jesus tells the demons to leave just had this way of again, making that attack, that struggle, her story so much more real. And again, even in my own life. He's freed me from my own demons. How soon I forget. Or, I don't really forget....I remember. It's just again, I see that loss of reverent and joyful awe.

And there's that one scene where jesus enters into Jerusalem and the people break out into song and dance, and sing and wave palms and shout Hosana. I suddenly really, really wanted to be in heaven, and do that forever. Then, at some point the priests butt in and shout for them to stop. And Jesus' reply? "if they didn't, the rocks would cry out with praise!" Rocks? They can't hear or see or feel. Yea, they're strong. But, most rocks have little to no color and get walked (and all kinds of other stuff) on. Rocks get stuck in your shoes. How can they praise him? But then I remember. Just that fact that God created them, they have to, no MUST praise him. Again....where's my own urgency to sing His praises and shout His name? I need to be like a rock!

And then, there's the last supper. I noticed somthing I never really noticed before. That meal, that passover meal, was completely normal. Even though they were celebrating that special occasion of Passover back with Moses and the Isrealites, they still broke the same bread and drank the same wine together probably every night. God reminded me to remember him in the small things, in every single little detail of my life. Even the seemingly normal and mundane and everyday things like eating and drinking. He longs to be a part of it all.

And then, leading up to and durring his crucifixion...
1) Peter denied Christ three times, even after being told he would and refusing to beleive it. How often do I do the very same thing when I deliberately choose to disobey His voice and do what I want to do anyway? Like when I go ahead and gossip anway. Or let certain thoughts linger anyway. Or waste my time on meaningless things anyway. They are so much the same things.
2) I was struck by how much suffering and torment Jesus went through. From sweating blood and crying out to the Lord in agony, without the support of his freinds who would rather sleep than support Him. He was so alone. To carrying the cross and being mocked and cursed by the same people who saw his miracles. To carrying the weight of sin itself on his shoulders. All undeserved. When I looked at the cross at one point, in my head I could hear my sins being named as he hung there in agony. It makes your heart break. Truly, truly, truly, I did NOT, in any way shape or form, deserve what he did for me. It's so hard to even try to grasp that.
4) After he was taken off the cross, there was a scene where Mary, his mother, held him and bitterly wept over him. Suddenly, I had this thought...No one saw God, his father, weep over His son, over his one-and-only, who did not deserve what he went through. I dont think I could evevn begin to imagine the pain he must have felt at having to turn away from his son as he bore the sins of the world. All I found myself thinking was that I should be dead. I have absolutely no right to be alive right now. All of that pain and agony and suffering should have been mine. I should be dead. Over and over, that's all I could think. I had to keep myself from weeping, and crying out in terror-filled thanks. I really cannot describe to you the way I felt in knowing that. Terror at knowing I could have (and still could, depending on my own choices) faced eternal death at the hands of a just, almighty God. And deeply humbled thanks. Thanks isn't even a full enough word.

Also, there are scenes throughout the show where you also see the tangible battle between Satan and Jesus, good and evil. Like when Christ is tempted in the desert. After Jesus overcomes him with the word of God and that scene ends, Satan comes back out and adresses the audience...and tells us of his plan to "steal, kill, and destroy" all of us through what he plans on doing to Jesus. Seeing and hearing that, again, had a way of making it so real.
And then, at the very end, when Jesus is held by death and the grave in Hades and he's gloating over his supposed victory, you suddenly hear the booming voice of God. God proclaims Christ as the Victor and His plan for all of us through him. And, satan is literally swept away and Jesus is given the keys of death and the grave.

At the very very end, you see Jesus ascend to heaven, and then you see angels worshipping at his throne...like the exclamation point to everything.

Wow. This really wasn't supposed to be this long. Lol! I just got so much out of being there. And I wanted to share :)
God totally used this show, this experience, to remind of so very many things I didnt even realized I had forgotten in the first place. He's humbled me, captured my heart, and even restored my awe.

And this isn't even everything. Honestly, I hadnt really even considered expecting to encounter God there. Yet He totally showed up anyway, surprised me, and invaded my heart. Isn't God absolutely amazing?? and even that word just doesnt even come close, really.
just...YAY GOD!!! :)