Quote for the day - No. 2 - A taste of heaven

This one's from the Life Application Study Bible (NIV) which I just purchased for my Olive Tree Bible Study app.

"The transfiguration was a foretaste of heaven; the participants were doing something worth noting—talking together. In God’s world, interactions count highly. People are individuals, with minds, hearts, and opinions. People are also part of a wider whole, connected by relationships built on sharing between whole persons. Friendship is the key. Make time and opportunities to talk with others. Good conversations act as training for eternity."

I love the idea here that a healthy conversation, one founded on mutual respect and friendship, can give us a taste of heaven. Again, I have been experiencing this recently in the discussion groups at the Life In The Spirit Seminar course that I have been helping with. This is being hosted by the wonderful Fr. Peter Morgan and the prayer group of his parish of St. Anne's, Overbury St., Liverpool, under the leadership of Myles Dempsey and the Prince Of Peace community prayer group that I attended regularly before my recent 4 years in Southampton. 

(Fr. Peter is a legend in Liverpool, especially for his work with asylum seekers and the immigrant community in general in Toxteth. More about him in a future post, I hope. Myles is a legend too!).

The time of praise and worship, followed by a talk, that precedes our discussion groups seems to really open our hearts up to expressing the promptings of the Holy Spirit within us. The result is a time of testimony, of sharing the presence of God in our lives and of attentive listening that builds each of us up, that builds up our fraternal communion as pilgrims together and affirms us in our faith. I come away from these discussions invigorated, rejoicing in God's action within each of us and in the example of faith given to me by my fellow Christians. 

I feel God's Spirit prompting me through conversations with people and through experiences at the Life In The Spirit, saying to me that I should get back involved with the charismatic movement here in Liverpool on a regular basis once the Seminar is finished in a few weeks, for my own benefit and for the benefit of others, including my own community. I do feel as if God is preparing me for something... some particular service. I pray that like the wise bridesmaids I will have my lamp filled with oil when the call comes through and that I will be able to discern his will for me (which I strive to do each day).

I wrote a very cheesy worship song some years back that I've not used much, but was an attempt on my part to explain exactly the feeling described by the commentary above. It won't win any awards for its spiritual poetry, and at the time felt very much like the incoherent mumblings of an enthusiastic child, but then that's pretty much what I feel like most of the time!

You'll have to imagine the music :-)

Taste of Heaven

Our hearts they burn for you, (x2)

They burn so brightly.

Our voices sing for you, (x2)

In praise of your holy name.

Refrain

You give me a taste of heaven,

You give me a taste of heaven,

Oh my Lord,

And I want it to last forever. (x2)

We gather here as one (x2),

In joy and thanksgiving.

We give ourselves to you (x2),

Let your will be done in us.

Refrain

Jesus, Jesus,

Oh my Lord,

And I want it to last forever. (x2)