I see the clouds.....

"I see the cloud, I step in
I want to see Your glory as Moses did
Flashes of light and rolls of thunder,

I'm not afraid
I'm not afraid"

God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Three very distinct characters of the Godhead. Today I truly felt God touch ground in three very distinct ways. His Might, Strength, Power and Glory has flooded into view before me. The first way in which God has spoken to me is through Walk Through Holy Week. This is an event  that St Polycarps Church (of which I am a member) hosts for the local primary schools and has hosted for the last 7 years. It is a dramatised version of Holy Week going through from the triumphal entry through to the Resurrection. It is a very moving and powerful experience and two years ago I was honoured to play the part of Jesus. Tonight I had the honour of playing Jesus again in Walk Through Holy Week, which was held for Church family. God first struck me when I was laid on the floor, hidden away, half way through the event. Carl (the Self Supporting Minister) at St Polycarps was doing his part of WTHW where he dresses up as a Roman Soldier and talks through Jesus' abuse and execution in very graphic detail. I was laid on the floor with God and I just felt Him point to a connection, almost like a time line made of string, that went from Jesus' death on the cross to me lying on the floor as Jesus 2 years ago to me lying on the floor as Jesus tonight. God was consistent through that time. He didn't change and His love for me hadn't changed. It never will.

God took me through Carl's talk and images of Jesus, this humble man who healed the sick, gave hope to the poor and the unwanted, washed His disciples feet, being crucified. For me. He died for me because He loved and loves me unconditionally and when you meet this man, this love, you can't help but be changed. You can't hide it, you can't fight it.


The second way in which God spoke to me was though my Church family of all backgrounds. The inclusiveness of God bowled me over today. If you know me well enough you will know I have a passion for ecumenicalism i.e. the Church being one Church (family) rather than loads of denominations (that is not to say that the Church shouldn't have variation, in fact that is what I love about the Church but I won't go off on a tangent about that) and I saw that today. Half way through WTHW we had a passover meal and communion. It was during communion that this struck me. I was surrounded by a huge variation of people, all sharing in One Bread. One of my favourite phrases from Communion Services is "we are one body because we all share in one bread". Today that really came to life for me. I was sat opposite 3 very different people approaching Communion, the Lord's table and supper, from very different angles but we all shared in Jesus broken body and His blood. I really felt the presence of God in that room and in each of us. We were all very distinct individuals celebrating that Last Supper but I could feel a sense, almost like a gentle tug, that bought us all together.


The third was Pope Francis washing the feet of prisoners in a youth detention with genuine intentions. At the moment I am so excited about the future for the Church both internationally and in this country. I believe God is doing a mighty thing. In my opinion it is no coincidence that we have a new Pope and Archbishop of Canterbury in the space of little over a week. Both these men are moving the Church in a direction of humility, simplicity, love, tolerance and appreciation of the common person. Both these men have started off their new ministries in humility, acknowledging they are just human and that the church doesn't revolve around them and that they are not supermen.

When I watched Pope Francis washing these young peoples feet I was swept away. Why? Because of what I saw in him. I could see that this wasn't for show, for fame, glory or praise. I saw genuine love and compassion in his eyes. Love and compassion for the twelve young people. Here we have the Spiritual leader of the Holy Roman Catholic Church wiping and kissing the feet of juvenile prisoners. Youth who have had to be locked away for their actions and here is the Pope kissing their feet and washing them. In the words of my friend: Mind. Blown. That is Jesus, that is love, genuine love.


 "I see the cloud, I step in
I want to see Your glory as Moses did
Flashes of light and rolls of thunder,

I'm not afraid
I'm not afraid"

Why did I put these lyrics at the beginning? God's glory. That is why. These lyrics are taken from a song called "Show Me Your Glory". I have always had a view of God's glory being something that was just flashes of light and rolls of thunder. Clouds storming in, loud music, seas crashing and pillars of fire. Yes these are all Glorious and of God's glory. Yet there is so much more to God's glory. Today God has shown me His glory in three amazing, beautiful and very quiet ways. So quiet I almost missed them. God's silent and steady consistency, His open doors and arms and finally in His humility, love and compassion that is encompassed in Jesus.
I believe that we can see God's glory as Moses did, in these ways. We can encounter God and show God through and in these quiet and tender moments.
Finally I want to say this, I do see God's glory and I'm running in. And I am so very no afraid. I see God's glory in the crashing thunder, the rolling clouds, the pillars of fire, His consistency, sharing in His community and communion and most of all in the humility, love and compassion that is encompassed in Jesus. Will you step in too?

I see the cloud, I step in
I want to see Your glory as Moses did
Flashes of light and rolls of thunder,

I'm not afraid
I'm not afraid

Show me Your glory, show me Your glory, my God
Show me Your glory, show me Your glory

I'm awed by Your beauty, lost in Your eyes
I long to walk in Your presence like Jesus did
Your glory surrounds me and I'm overwhelmed

I'm not afraid
I'm not afraid

Show me Your glory, show me your glory, my God
Show me Your glory, show me Your glory

I long to look on the face of the One that I love
Long to stay in your presence, it's where I belong