Weekly we go to the hospital to sing and chat to the patients. Last week when we were singing there was one lady who had her eyes closed and was praising God as a result of hearing us sing. Straight away I thought that it’s amazing how God uses people - here He was using us volunteers as a team and using our voices to sing Zulu songs that we had learnt in South Africa and as a result others were praising Him and being spiritually uplifted. But from seeing this, I realised that I wasn't feeling spiritually uplifted by what I was doing. Even though I could see God working through us, it wasn't through the song I was feeling uplifted but I wished I could have been. I guess it’s because we sing these songs so regularly on a daily basis. But that’s awful because we were meant to be singing praises to God!
Straight after the hospital visit we had to drive to the other side of town to Mariannhill Bible Class. After the class in true Mariannhill style, there was a blasting out of songs. The third or fourth one was "Jerusalem". It goes something like this:
"Jerusalem is the city, the city in the name of the Lord
Oh Lord I want to be there, I want to be there, I want to be there
To be there for evermore"
It’s such a powerful song, we all felt it and we proceeded to walk around the table whilst singing and pointing up into the air "I want to be there". Whilst singing, I could see on everybody’s face: the expressions of "I want to be there" as they sang it. Everybody sang it with their whole heart. The energy in the room was so great! I did want to be there and I do want to be there, and I want to be there with all the brothers and sisters in Mariannhill. That was a kingdom vision. A vision of happiness. 3 years ago there was no such thing as Mariannhill ecclesia and for that crowd of people to be meeting up in that room singing that song was so awesome! They have found God.
On the way to bible class I told God that I didn't want to sing to Him and me not feel it. I wanted to feel it just like the lady did in the hospital. God answered my prayer in a matter of an hour!
Then when I was lying in bed thinking about what happened the verse "Whoever sows generously shall also reap generously" (2 Cor 9v6) popped into my head. The effect that the sowing had in the hospital, I also reaped in Mariannhill.
Naomi Midgley
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