Only God could know...

Imagine someone telling you something that spoke so powerfully to the deepest longings of your heart that you could not help but weep at the sheer sound of those words. That's what happened to me last night. I couldn't even bring myself to write about it at that time. It was too personal and emotionally charged. But now I can share it with you.

I know even as I share them that you that the reader cannot possibly understand the depth to which I was moved by what happened. The words may sound meaningful, inspiring perhaps. But, for me, it was as if God reached into my heart to pluck from it the words that make it beat. Here's what happened.

On Thursday afternoon, a time for prayer was offered for anyone who wished to come forward. I did so. As I waited for someone to come up to me to pray over me, I prayed for those around me. I worshipped God and praised Him for the work He was doing in the lives of so many people this week. After some time, I was prayed over and annointed with oil at which time I returned to my seat. I continued to worship God with unhindered joy when suddenly Mic Woodhead, lead pastor of St. Tom's- Crookes, walked across the room straight towards me. He laid hands on me and said, "Tom, God has just given me a word for you." What follows are the words. Words that are perhaps no more than mere words to most. But, to me, were like the songs of God's angels to the ears of man.

"God has given to me an image of you standing in the shallows, water up to your ankles. You are splashing around in the shallows and God says, 'I love you and I love the work that you've done for me, but it is time to come deeper.' God is now leading you out of the shallows. The water is rising and soon your feet can know longer touch the bottom. You find yourself swimming. Your swimming, Tom! And the joy of the Lord is filling you as you swim in the breadth and depth of what he as planned for you. God has so much more planned for you, Tom. It's time to trust and to walk out into the deep waters and swim. And, Tom, I see another picture, a picture of you standing at the gates of heaven. And people, many people, are queued up to greet you, to shake your hand, to embrace you. And one by one they tell you, 'Thank you, it is because of you that I am here.' Many, many lives are being touched and changed because of you- a person you've talked to. A person you've helped bring into the Kingdom who then touched another life. And God is happy, Tom! He loves you. He rejoices in what you have done and will do for Him. It is not the big church or ministry that you will ever lead, but the lives that you have touched and made a difference in. And God is pleased."

About midway through, I began to weep. What followed was 30 minutes of uncontrollable sobbing- shoulder heaving, face hiding tears of joy.

I sought Mic out after the service. He asked me if I was okay. I told him very, but he needed to know how much those words meant to me. "You see," I said, "there is no way you could have known this, but I can't swim. I have always wanted to, but I can't. I can't think of an image that would have spoke more powerfully to me about what God wants to do in my life." And Mic began to laugh... out loud, head tilted back... like I have never heard him laugh before. "That is so the humor of God! That was a word from Him, Tom. A word from God for You!"

"Every time I think about it," I said, "Everytime I think about everything you said... there is nothing more, nothing greater I could have wanted to hear. No words could have had more meaning. I can't stop crying everytime I think about them. I just wanted to hug you when you said them."

Then Mic, still laughing, through his arms around me and said, "Then cry, Tom! Keep crying. Don't stop. Those words are going to come true. They're going to happen!" And I did. I kept crying, laughing, and crying some more. I suppose I will keep crying every time I think about them. No one could know what those words would me to me except me... and God!