Sunday Pastor preached on the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and three people were filled. Praise God! One of them was the wife of one of our elders, a wonderful Godly grandmother. She came from a Baptist background, and was a little apprehensive about going forward because she wanted to maintain her dignity. Fortunately though, she wanted God more.

She told us later that she had a picture in her mind of how God should do this. She wanted what God had for her, but preferred that it happen in a way she found agreeable. But whatever happened, she wasn't going to stop God from doing whatever He wanted to do.

When Pastor prayed for her infilling she held God to His Word, and said, "Lord, you promised to fill the seeker, and I want it." At that point she said she felt her heels come up off the floor, and she thought "oh no, I'm going to fall over like those other people I've seen. What if my dress comes up? Lord, how about if I just go to my knees instead?" But her overwhelming desire to get all God had for her kept her from inserting her will into the process, and she figured that if she lost her dignity, so be it.

Pastor asked what she was feeling, and as she answered she began to laugh. Loud, uncontrolled, and very dignified. And it didn't stop either. She was laughing in the Spirit, and her joy was overflowing into the rest of the congregation. Many were ministered to that morning as her holy laughter infected everyone else, including Pastor, who said he'd been feeling a bit down lately. He was grateful to God for giving him what he needed that morning.

We make a mistake if we think we have all God has for us and our church. There's always another level, another experience, another lesson. The question is, are we willing to let God out of the box we've placed Him in, and are we so hungry that we'll get out of the Holy Spirit's way, to do what He wants. No limits!!!

-- Anonymous, March 06, 2002

Answers

Whoa, I said her laughter was dignified. I meant UNDIGNIFIED. Oh for software that allows editing!

Teach me to have a childlike heart Free me to be undignified Teach me to have a childlike heart Free me to dance all over my pride

Gonna dance like a child Sing like a son Abandon myself to the Holy One Gonna dance like a child Sing like a son Abandon myself to the Holy One To the Holy One

-- Anonymous, March 06, 2002