The Excitingly Frightening Voice of GOD

My wife and I have both felt very convicted lately about making some changes in our lives. Just two weeks ago, my wife was Baptized at church. Since then, much has changed, and we feel that God has really been moving in our lives.

We are seriously considering permanent membership at church, which is a little different at our current church than I can ever remember it being in the past. At most churches, membership is something you do just to say, hey, this is the church we plan to attend on a regular basis, and we kind of want to feel at home here, and then your a member for life. It almost seems like that's the way it should be, right? I used to think so, too.

But the church we have been attending since the Sunday after the 9/11 attacks sees things just a little bit differently. Membership is not a right, it's a privilege, with responsibility. The responsibility to follow the teachings of Christ. To tithe. To be active in the church and the community. To study the Word and pray daily.

My wife and I have become increasingly convicted lately that we are being called to make just such a commitment. We have regularly commented lately to each other about ways that God has spoken to us. Just tonight, as our Pastor was teaching about giving above and beyond tithing, I felt that God was speaking to me about doing just that. I won't go into specifics here -- not yet -- but what made this even more impactful to me was that as God was speaking to me, I felt a strong sense of deja vu, as I had heard God speaking the same thing to me before. Recently. Very recently. So recently, in fact, that I can pinpoint the time, and the situation in which it occurred. And I have concluded that I cannot ignore this calling, and have already put into motion the steps necessary, I believe, to answer this calling.

It has been quite some time since I have so distinctly felt God moving in my life -- calling me in such a strong and clearly discernible way. I have to tell you, it's a pretty frightening thing. A pretty excitingly frightening feeling!

Joe