Prophetic Tears Years before I knew Jesus as Savior, I would experience a most unusual happening every time I heard music with a military parade cadence. It would hit during a high school football game or, while watching the “Rose Bowl Parade” on TV. As the music played, my chest would fill with curious emotion and my eyes moistened with tears. At times, the tears would begin to spill down my cheeks and I mysteriously lost the ability to speak. I secretly fought the urge to break forth into uncontrollable sobs of joy. For decades, I wondered what in the world was wrong with me. What was it about my psyche that would cause me to respond to the sound of fife and drum in such an emotional manner? The answer came at age 30, when I was doing a word study on the various words used in the New Testament for the Church. When I came to Hebrews 12:22-23, I was arrested by the meaning of the Greek word for general assembly. As I delved into my resource books, the revelation came. The word for general assembly is paneguris. It has no equivalent in the English language. It can be defined as a victorious army, dressed in formal military attire, parading in review before its supreme commander-in-chief. As this definition registered upon my spirit, I was riveted with a panoramic vision. I saw Lord’s redeemed of all generations of history. Along with saints of old, I and familiar brothers were marching in military formation before the review platform of our supreme commander-in-chief, the Lord Jesus Christ. As each line passed immediately in front of him, every head would turn toward Him in radiant adoration. Each line of soldiers was waiting for his nod of approval of lives lived and victories won by the power of his Spirit. I clearly saw that, in spite of all of our blunders, the Army of God had been foreordained for greatness from eternity immemorial. This time, I made no effort to contain my tears, nor my sobs of joy. God had granted revelation about what had mystified me for years. Before I was born of the Holy Spirit, he had been deftly working in my heart. He had implanted my psyche with a subtle token of a reality about my sojourn on earth. I had been called to march in victory before the Lord at the end of this age. Like all believers, before time began in the eternal realm of the Spirit, the Godhead had blessed me with a holy calling. I was foreordained with equipping that would empower me to serve his Kingdom successfully and faithfully. In eternity past, the Lord looked upon me in faith believing that I would qualify to join the redeemed parading in review in heaven. Experiences similar to what I have described are not rare in the lives of Christians. Almost every believer can recall encounters that indicated the wooing presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives prior to salvation. None of us have been exempted from a responsible calling with which we are to serve our Lord. Our wisest response to this is to endeavor to fulfill our spiritual vocations faithfully. It is our inheritance to march proudly before His review stand on that glorious day.
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 07:07:16 +0000