Sunday Afternoon Soaking

I woke up this morning excited. It's Sunday. Today I have the opportunity once again to take part in something God is doing! And that excites me. A few weeks ago we started a Soaking time for our high schoolers at our church. At 3:30 on Sunday afternoons they converge on one of the youth rooms, pillows in tow, for the specific purpose of being still and knowing God. It is amazing. We've had anywhere from 5 to 17 but each week someone shows up. As long as someone shows up - I'll be there.

The week we had 17 people in the room I was completely blown away. I was sitting over in a corner praying over them when I opened my eyes and there they were - all those kids spread out all over that hard floor - still. I asked God if He was seeing what I was seeing and how did that make Him feel. I was filled with this huge sense of excitement - a thrill went up my spine. I think God is thrilled when we take time to come away and "be" with Him, with no other agenda but to know Him more.

I came to the realization at some point in my Soaking time that God has used this practice of being still to endow me with my sense of identity in Him more than anything else I have done. And I've done a lot. Don't get me wrong. Recovery is and was a huge part of my life. But as for my identity - who I am - why I'm here - that gift has come as a result of Soaking. That is what I hope and pray that these kids find here in this lamplit room, with "Jesus music" playing, as they're splayed across the floor - some resting, some sound asleep, some wrestling with discomfort, some just plain wrestling with the false identities they've been carrying. I'm trusting Father God, Abba, Papa to show up and love on them. I know I won't be disappointed. Because God is so good. His love endures forever. But I also want Holy Spirit to show up in power and might and bring legions of angels to minister to these kids right where they are - to wrestle with those, for lack of a better word, demons that they carry - you know the ones. You'd recognize them if you saw them too. Peer pressure, pride, vanity, self-image, lust, need to perform, fear, anger, resentments, control issues, manipulation, lack of trust. I could go on and on. But that's why I do this, show up every Sunday afternoon at 3:30. For hope.

Besides that it's the Sabbath. Isn't that what we're supposed to be doing? Resting?