Hello All,
It's always strange when you are on the cusp of leaving "forever." We left the Packinghouse "forever" just over a year ago! When it happened at the Packinghouse, there was a resignation beyond hope of change; Yesterday, there was a similar feeling. Our family was sent out around the 26 of September 2005; Yesterday, we were sent back! Oh the irony of it all!
The service was "business as usual," just the way I like it. We began with worship and sang the normal songs. We did do one of our "greatest hits" as it were, but beside that, we did the tunes that are the most accessible to the church in Jerez today. We ended with what has become my favorite song, not because it is a beautiful song alone, but because of what it expresses. Let's see if you can catch the spirit of the song without translation.
Quiero subir al monte Santo de Sion, y entonar un nuevo cantico a mi Dios.
Mas de palabras, mi vida quiero entregar.
Purifica mi corazon para entrar, en Tu presencia, contemplar Tu grandeza.
Te adoro Senor en espiritu y en verdad.
Me postro a Tus pies en la belleza de Tu Santidad.
Te doy mi loor que sea una suave fragancia.
Y un sonido agradable a Ti pues digno Eres.
It's sincerely one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard, but it's the words that strike a tone in my heart. The thought of being in the presence of God's Holy presence, physically before His feet, offering up a sweet fragrance and a song of thanksgiving to Him physically, is overwhelming but that which our hearts desire the most.
I looked out during one of the choruses to see everyone pouring out their hearts before the Lord. When we had first come, there were 2 steady families amongst us. We have added 3 families to that number in the time that we have been here and there we all stood in a holy moment before the Lord.
After worship, Carlos had our family up before the congregation and he and Yolee laid hands on us, sending us out from the congregation, back to "a fruitful life of service in the states." It was surreal and powerful.
I suppose that this is the way it is always to be. From one season to another, we enter into each other's lives, to pour out what God has poured into us. When He deems it time to conclude the task, it is always obvious. Joy can be had in understanding this truth.
And yet, there will always be on this earth the yearning for a fellowship that will never end. It would seem that God has designed it this way, to make us hunger for a time when the warmth of fellowship will not end. It's not even that we should desire the fellowship of friends or people, but the Spirit which testifies with our Spirit, which is the Spirit of Christ, manifested and enjoyed on the Earth through wonderful friends and family of like mind, converted by Christ's Spirit.
It is ultimately Christ's life that we all share and enjoy so much. It is ultimately Christ who we love and long for. The fellowship which we share is only a taste, just a shadow of His goodness and wonder that we are to share in for eternity.
Toward that end, Calvario De Jerez, thank you for your love and acceptance of us. You have treated us like family, cared for us and been the surrogate Aunts, Uncles, Grandmas and Grandpas. Thank you for your patience with us, putting up with our ridiculous spanish skills and yet doing all you could to understand us. Your impact on our life can never be measured. Thank you will all of our hearts. I pray that through technology and through the learning process that we will be able to remain in each other's lives until that day when we climb into the beauty of God's Holiness together and offer Him our praises before His feet. Dios Te Bendiga!
Blessings To The Friends Of Spain,
Frank Sanchez
It's always strange when you are on the cusp of leaving "forever." We left the Packinghouse "forever" just over a year ago! When it happened at the Packinghouse, there was a resignation beyond hope of change; Yesterday, there was a similar feeling. Our family was sent out around the 26 of September 2005; Yesterday, we were sent back! Oh the irony of it all!
The service was "business as usual," just the way I like it. We began with worship and sang the normal songs. We did do one of our "greatest hits" as it were, but beside that, we did the tunes that are the most accessible to the church in Jerez today. We ended with what has become my favorite song, not because it is a beautiful song alone, but because of what it expresses. Let's see if you can catch the spirit of the song without translation.
Quiero subir al monte Santo de Sion, y entonar un nuevo cantico a mi Dios.
Mas de palabras, mi vida quiero entregar.
Purifica mi corazon para entrar, en Tu presencia, contemplar Tu grandeza.
Te adoro Senor en espiritu y en verdad.
Me postro a Tus pies en la belleza de Tu Santidad.
Te doy mi loor que sea una suave fragancia.
Y un sonido agradable a Ti pues digno Eres.
It's sincerely one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard, but it's the words that strike a tone in my heart. The thought of being in the presence of God's Holy presence, physically before His feet, offering up a sweet fragrance and a song of thanksgiving to Him physically, is overwhelming but that which our hearts desire the most.
I looked out during one of the choruses to see everyone pouring out their hearts before the Lord. When we had first come, there were 2 steady families amongst us. We have added 3 families to that number in the time that we have been here and there we all stood in a holy moment before the Lord.
After worship, Carlos had our family up before the congregation and he and Yolee laid hands on us, sending us out from the congregation, back to "a fruitful life of service in the states." It was surreal and powerful.
I suppose that this is the way it is always to be. From one season to another, we enter into each other's lives, to pour out what God has poured into us. When He deems it time to conclude the task, it is always obvious. Joy can be had in understanding this truth.
And yet, there will always be on this earth the yearning for a fellowship that will never end. It would seem that God has designed it this way, to make us hunger for a time when the warmth of fellowship will not end. It's not even that we should desire the fellowship of friends or people, but the Spirit which testifies with our Spirit, which is the Spirit of Christ, manifested and enjoyed on the Earth through wonderful friends and family of like mind, converted by Christ's Spirit.
It is ultimately Christ's life that we all share and enjoy so much. It is ultimately Christ who we love and long for. The fellowship which we share is only a taste, just a shadow of His goodness and wonder that we are to share in for eternity.
Toward that end, Calvario De Jerez, thank you for your love and acceptance of us. You have treated us like family, cared for us and been the surrogate Aunts, Uncles, Grandmas and Grandpas. Thank you for your patience with us, putting up with our ridiculous spanish skills and yet doing all you could to understand us. Your impact on our life can never be measured. Thank you will all of our hearts. I pray that through technology and through the learning process that we will be able to remain in each other's lives until that day when we climb into the beauty of God's Holiness together and offer Him our praises before His feet. Dios Te Bendiga!
Blessings To The Friends Of Spain,
Frank Sanchez
No comments:
Post a Comment