123

Stephen and I were driving back to Norman from the Nine Inch Nails show at the BOK center in Tulsa last night- the most entertaining and captivating show I've ever seen in an arena. 

Stephen asked me how things were going with my interactions with the Lord, and I quickly told him how distracting spirits have been creating a wall between us. I would sit down to pray and worship the Lord, and unless I was in the presence of someone else who did not have the distracting spirits around them, I would instantly be caught up in 'the cares of this world' (homework, errands, other things the Lord is doing, music, obligations), therefore ruining my time set aside for intimacy with Jesus.

The rest of the ride home, I noticed the atmosphere change, and some of the road signs and numbers were highlighted. "See Moore" appeared on a sign outside Moore, Oklahoma as I was talking to Stephen about how I knew we would 'see more' things happen if we pushed through the crap of the Enemy. "Show me the love" was on a heart surgery billboard during a discussion on being a Lover of the Lord. Finally, "123" showed up a few times on the clock and signs, reminding me of a time when Psalm 123 had spoken to me significantly (though I had forgotten what it said).

I got home and read Psalm 123, journaling about how I want to see the Lord and wait on the Lord. Feeling only a little bit successful and a little more tired (therefore a ton more defeated), I went to sleep. 

I dreamt that I saw Sigur Ros play a private concert, where I got to go and meet the lead singer mid-set. Immediately after shaking his hand, he broke out into a worship set, saying the name of Jesus instead of Icelandic words.

Waking up from that felt great. I had a feeling God wanted me to worship Him for at least an hour, playing through the "()" album by Sigur Ros (my favorite prayer background music, hands down).

Seeing 1:23 pm on the oven clock and realizing the date was 11-23-08, I felt it was a good time to start seeking the Lord. I started out blessing my room with the Presence of the Lord, realizing I have 3 doors as entrances to my room that could conveniently usher in the Triune God we worship and pray to. I read Psalm 123 over and over, praying the mercy of God over myself.

Then, after about 45 minutes minimum, my mind was blown. I cracked open "My Utmost for His Highest" for the first time in a couple months or so, and the title said:

November 23

Distraction of Antipathy

"Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us:

for we are exceedingly filled with contempt."

Psalm 123:3

WHAT THE CRAP!? The signs, the clocks, the date... the very verse and topic of a book up on my shelf.

And to top it off, I looked at my other Bible I hadn't used in weeks.. yeah, the bookmark was in Psalm 123.

I don't know why God does stuff like this. I don't need to know why. All I take from this one is that God knows my heart, my thoughts, my afflictions. And He wants me to be my deliverer in this time.

These are those situations where God makes Himself physically apparent. Maybe this is a taste of Heaven on Earth. Another glimpse of the Spiritual coming into the Physical. Another reason to give up trying to make anything out to be 'coincidence.'