(The day after my Joshua/Caleb experience)........Part of my "Moses" presentation in The Holy Land at TGPP involves my being raised as a Jew and how that upbringing influenced my adult life and eventual accepting of Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior in 1999. There have been highs and lows throughout my life and I would hope that all these experiences have strengthened me as a person and drawn me closer to the purpose and plan God created me for.
This past Friday, I looked up to see a group of smiling ladies approaching my venue in The Holy Land and instantly recognized them as members of a church in Colorado Karen and I had been members of from 1999 to 2009----our first exposure to Christianity and "church life". We left that church with mixed feelings and some healing to go through. And here were 15 people, most of whom knew us or knew about us, and my first response was to be genuinely surprised and glad to see them. Karen joined us, and we spent time reminiscing, had dinner together and left them so they could see the pre-Passion Play performances and The Passion Play itself. I needed to go to the set and prepare for what was to be my 202nd appearance in the Play.
On Saturday morning, as I cleaned the amphitheater, I reached down to pick up some ticket stubs and on the first four was the name of the leader of that Colorado group and a "God-chill" went through me. I must not have done a very thorough cleaning, because this morning I picked up another stub from the Colorado group. Somehow there was something still to be learned from the surprise encounter on Friday and our past at that church. This morning one of my devotionals was from Hebrews 12:1,( the scripture verse from the day I accepted Jesus in 1999) and at church this morning I felt the need to get up after the message and give a brief testimony relating to my being raised as a Jew, searching for 40 years for "completion" of my Judaism, and finding the Lord at a Colorado church in 1999. It has been an interesting and enlightening three days.
When the past comes back, it can haunt us, or it can confirm the awesome power and influence of a loving Father, obedient Son and ever-guiding Holy Spirit. Thank You, Lord for allowing us to remember the past, be thankful for the highs and lows, and know that there is a plan far beyond our comprehension, and a purpose for our life which we can only appreciate when we surrender to You and live and serve as You call us. You give us direction, hope and a future for our good and Your Glory, and speak to us in situations and circumstances and"coincidences" of how personal Your relationship with us is. Thank You, Thank You, Lord.
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