A Place of Healing

A few weeks ago our church had something called Jam Night. For those of you who know all about this, please bear with me while I explain a little to other readers.

Once a month we have a Jam Night in which anyone who's a part of our church's worship team, or interested in doing so, or interested in just worshipping our Lord, is invited to come for a night of unscheduled praise and worship. We try new songs, mess with the good old ones, and just plain have a time to worship Jesus Christ in song.

A few weeks ago, for our October Jam Night, I invited a close friend of mine to join us as we had had a stressful day at the office, and I could tell this was something God would use to lift her up. She came, joined us for the first half, and the next Tuesday at work expressed how glad she was she had come. "You guys should have Jam Night every week, it was such a wonderful experience."

So as I have been thinking about it the past few days, I recall a few months ago when I went with a heavy heart. I asked one of the participants if she'd pray for me, and after she did I entered into the night. Sure, I was still heavy inside, but I was more able to give it away to God as I spent time simply sitting (literally sitting!) in His arms. It was a place of healing for me, a place I knew that I could go to where I could pour my heart out to God and know He was present with us and delighted to dwell in our praises.

So, as I think of it, I recall a question asked by our youth pastor when I was in high school...Where is your safe haven? Some people have a place at home, or in the home of their childhoods, where they always felt safe, always felt they could go and knew it was all going to be all right. I didn't have that, but there have been many times I've known that going to the church was going to be that place for me, even when I've felt a major letdown in my life or just didn't want to face people. The church (in whatever form that may take given the location) has become my safe haven, my hiding place.

And, of course, a close intimate group (the last few months have seen 4-6 people at Jam Night) such as ours is one of the most healing places I've even known. May your time in worshipping Jesus Christ bring you peace and healing as He ministers to your wounds and illnesses.