The Lord Works in Mysterious Ways

THE LORD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS

In the movie, “The Blues Brothers”, Elwood Blues (played by Dan Akroyd) emphatically states, “The Lord works in mysterious ways.”  How true.

The Lord has been working in mysterious and glorious ways in my life since my Walk to Emmaus in May 2004.  Like the two biblical travelers walking along the road to Emmaus, I seldom recognize the Lord initially even when he is right beside me.  Why the big mystery?  Shouldn’t He just come right out and show Himself?  You know, make a grand entrance with flashing lights, blaring sirens, and trumpets sounding. Maybe a big sign held high above His head like a person wanting to be identified at a crowded airport.  HERE…I AM!

Someday that may be a reality.  But for me at this time in my life, The Lord is like a trusted friend who listens so intently that He is barely noticed.  He allows me to become fully immersed in my own story.  He is fully present and observes intently.  Then, in a flash of insight, a spoken word, a symbolic reflection, I awaken to the experience that HE IS HERE!  He is so clearly recognizable yet He doesn’t look like any of the pictures we see in religious goods stores.  He can take on an infinite number of personas.  He is a master of disguise to the intellectual seeker.  Interesting how transparent he becomes once we stop trying to figure Him out and realize that He just wants us to experience His love, grace, and acceptance.  No puzzle…just acceptance.  But that’s not always how I am.  Fortunately, the one true I AM is patient, but when He speaks, we better be ready to listen. 
Like a 16-pound bowling ball dropped on ones big toe from an altitude of four feet,

The Lord’s subtle voice will get your attention.  He got my attention during a recent morning prayer.  But first, a little background before the bowling ball lands. 

The tall blond Assembly of God missionary stood in front of our congregation one recent Sunday morning.  She had recently returned from the mission fields of Southeast Asia and was eager to report on her experiences before her upcoming departure to South America.  We heard of Christians who were forced to make a choice: leave their country or leave The Lord as it is a crime to be a Christian in many Southeast Asian countries.  Some were allowed to worship but were forbidden to invite others to hear the Word.  How can one not spread the good news once it is heard? 

We listened to the story of one pastor who elected to leave his country behind, but not his countrymen.  From a small, unnamed island, he would dictate his sermons into a simple battery powered cassette tape recorder (which had been repaired numerous times) and was then broadcast back to his country via short-wave radio.  I reflected on how fortunate we are to worship freely in America.

All too soon the comfort of being a spectator listening to an interesting story was shattered.  The call came, “raise your hand if you want to be baptized in the name of the Holy Spirit.”  I may have just stepped off the turnip wagon when it comes to the Pentecostal ways, but even I realized that she was really asking who wants to be speaking in tongues.  Hummm. 

Only a handful of hands were raised in the crowded church.  Most remained still with their arms securely affixed to their torso.  I tried not to look around but I couldn’t help but wonder, were those whose hands were not raised all speakers of this Godly language, or were they even more hesitant to accept the gift than I?  I was about to re-learn a couple valuable lessons: First, if you are ever asked to raise your hand in church make certain you are ready to participate.  Sounds like common sense and every child from elementary school and beyond knows it.  But my left arm was raised…no, more like levitated…without my conscience thought! Hey!  That’s MY arm in the air with those few others!  My mind was swimming with processing thoughts and mixed emotions.  Before I knew it, the second lesson was about to kick in…once your hand is in the air, expect to be called.  Failure to accept the challenge will relegate any man with an ego of iron to the status of “wimp.”  I certainly couldn’t have that! 

I walk forward…somber.  So this is what the front of church looks like.  Usually I am seated about three rows from the back near an exit.  It’s seems safer back there.  All those in a position of power were asked to likewise come forward to assist in the transformation process.  Our line of hopeful initiates elongated and was quickly surrounded by those tasked with helping us find our gift of tongues.  Prayers filled the air and healing hands were laid upon us.  Soon I heard the unintelligible voices from several around me.  The woman in front of me falls backward to the floor…possessed by the Holy Spirit.  Almost simultaneously the man to my left follows the same course.  I wondered why no one told them NOT to lock their knees!  They are sure to fall…I’d seen that many times in the military.  My turn.  I am asked to begin praying aloud, in my own language, for the gift.  OK.  I can do that…easy.  Then the real test comes: “Now, open your mouth and let the Holy Spirit speak through you.”  My mouth IS open…Nothing.  What am I supposed to say?  I’ve been in South Texas for years and still have not learned Spanish.  How can I be expected to be fluent in God’s language in five minutes?  I feel ridiculous and sense the weight of the congregational eyes burning in my back.  Here I am, a professor with his mouth open and nothing to say!  Now that is pathetic!  Good thing God has a sense of humor. 

Soon enough I am again seated in my comfort zone in the rear of the church.  Am I a failure, Lord?  Again my processing mind begins to try and make sense of the experience.  I rationalize and conclude that God has been patient with me for nearly five decades.  Why should I expect Him to give me something I want just because I ask for it?

My friends tell me that God expects us to ask.  In fact, all we need to do is ask and He is always ready to answer.  Somehow the concept of acceptance eludes me and I feel unworthy to make a request for the supernatural gifts.  It’s like Clark Kent asking to become Superman.  Is it possible to become like Superman?

God’s bowling ball was about to drop.  He had the answer to my question…as usual. 

My typical day begins with 30-minutes of Bible study followed by about 15-minutes of prayer.  I felt especially close to The Lord this particular morning.  He was
definitely in attendance for my prayer session.  While still on my knees, I lifted my arms in hopes of touching God who is simultaneously in Heaven and standing tall right in front of me in my bedroom.  As I prayed, I asked Him to take my right hand in His.  My fingers folded around the unmistakable hand that was there…but not there.  I said to the Lord, “if I can ask for a supernatural gift, I ask for the gift that will allow me to help people…I ask for the gift of healing.”  In the split second that occurs following the completion of a sentence, the bowling ball from God was dropped.  It hit me at the tip of my left index finger that was still stretched high toward Heaven.  The “bowling ball” felt like millions of mini-electrical shocks and made my finger tingle and then twitch.  The twitch became a shake that continued down my left arm until my entire body was shaking.  I was slightly embarrassed although I was the only person present.  The embarrassment turned to wonderings about my physical condition.  Am I having a stroke, a seizure, a heart attack?  Or was it psychological…Possibly a mild psychotic -break? 

God replayed an old aftershave commercial in my mind.  The sleepwalking man slaps on the aftershave and says, “Thanks, I needed that!”  The Lord slapped me into clarity and made it clear that this was His answer to my prayer.  Did the Lord turn an ordinary Clark Kent type person into a Superman that morning?  Was I truly given the power to heal diseases and sickness?  Was the healing power given to ameliorate psychological and emotional suffering?  At this point I cannot say.  However, I can say without question that when we walk in the reflection of the Lord, we can all become super men.  The future will unfold and my healing gifts will become manifest as the Lord directs.  Who knows…Maybe I will become a great healer?  After all, The Lord works in mysterious ways!