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The following brief essay was found among the papers of a wonderful gentleman who had passed to the other side. His daughter shared it with us, and we share it with you. This is a beautiful description of the effect of the Kiss of the Serpent, which causes one to reside in the Golden Silence. Just a Feeling It begins at your feet and slowly rises up your spine until it reaches the back of your neck. Now it seems to radiate to every part of your body, to the end of your fingertips, to the top of your head. It is not the same feeling you have when shivers run up and down your spine, when you are cold, or you have been listening to a ghost story. It is different. Really, it is more of an emotion than a feeling. It makes you feel warm and comfortable inside of you. Some people have told me that they have experienced it, and some have no idea what I am talking about. The first time it happened to me was when I was a teenager. I was in church. The service was just beginning. My Mom and Dad were not with me that day, so I felt quite alone. The organist had just finished the prelude with a tremendous chord of music. Suddenly the sanctuary was silent. Then gradually the feeling came over me and I somehow felt close to someone . . . God I guess. It did not happen again for some time. As far as I can remember, it was not until I was married and my first child, my daughter, came into this world. At the time of her birth, I was not allowed to hold her because she was in an incubator and I had to return to Camp Blanding. It was during the war [WWII]. Six weeks later, my wife joined me and when she got off the train she said, “Here . . . hold your daughter.” Somehow God seemed very close at that moment and that feeling overwhelmed me. Another time I had this feeling was in 1969 when my wife and I returned home from our first sojourn in Texas and we sort of went out of our way to do it, by way of the Grand Canyon. After we arrived at the Canyon camp grounds and had set up our campsite, we walked to the rim of the Canyon and sat down on some rocks to enjoy the view. Believe it or not, a small mouse popped his head out from behind a large rock. We both happened to have a bag of corn chips with us, so I tossed a chip to the mouse. He picked it up with his mouth and then scurried out of sight. Soon he returned, and we repeated the process over and over. Gradually he came out further and further. Suddenly, I realized that this little mouse’s body stood out in profile against the awesome beauty of the Grand Canyon. Again this feeling overwhelmed me as I viewed one of God’s smallest handiworks and one of His largest creations together. The last time that I had this feeling, my wife and I were conducting a vesper service at a Women’s retreat. We had planned to end the service just at sunset and the timing was perfect. If you have ever sat in the outdoor chapel at Bridgeport, you will recall that as you sit in your seat the altar is directly in front of you. Behind the altar is a full size wooden cross and behind the cross lie the shimmering waters of Lake Bridgeport. Picture if you will, this scene and then add to it the blazing sunset directly behind the cross as only Texas sunsets can be. Women were sitting there with tears running down their cheeks as they listened to the beautiful Word of God. Once again the feeling possessed me. So many people talk about being saved, of finding Christ, of being reborn. And for some it lasts a lifetime. For some it lasts for a little while, but later other feelings push it into the background. Is this the feeling they have? I don’t know. As I said before, this feeling is more like an emotion, and that may be all that it is. But it has directed me down the “Jesus Path.” Sometimes I wonder . . . could it be . . . these moments . . . could it be . . . that He reached down and touched me? |
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