Taking the Plunge

The service today was on betrayal and trusting God. The pastor at The Bridge talked about Esau and Jacob.

At the end of the service they invite people to "take the plunge". To step up and receive prayer. Today they challenged us to come up, if we wanted, and have our hands anointed with oil. Symbolizing that we were receiving blessing for the work that we make with our hands and finances that we bring in. At the end of Genesis 28 it mentions how Jacob found God and decided that "all that you give me I will give you a tenth." v. 22

Here Jacob was worshiping God and telling Him that he will give back 10%. That has been a real struggle for us. We find it hard to part with that money but as we came in to the new year both Phil and I decided to make that choice. To give back to God what rightfully belongs to Him in the first place. After all it is God who is granting us this money and our jobs. In this time of uncertainty we rely on God and thank Him for what we do have.

So I decided to take the plunge and step up. Have my hands anointed, blessed and prayed over. I asked Phil if he wanted to come with me and he had said no. That he didn't feel the need to come up. So I went up by myself. Then I felt Phil come stand beside me and we took the plunge as a couple.

The lady that came up and put the oil in my hand said a prayer. It was an amazing experience. I couldn't hear her words but what I FELT was mind boggling.

I may lose people here but honestly this happened....

The lady put the oil in my hand. First my right then my left. It was an incredible moment. I FELT like my hand was being pierced. I pictured Christ having His hands nailed to the cross. Felt the piercing through my own hand and wondered how He endured that. How and why He was able to do that for me. Why? Because He loves me. I am still thinking about the how He could do it but I think it may be because He knows His Father, our Father, loves him.

At first I was a skeptic. I thought maybe it was whatever oil they were using. That maybe it was reacting with my skin. But then in that exact moment I decided to believe it was God and to feel His presence. I didn't feel the same sensation in my left hand. Oil was put in both. So if it was from the oil I would have felt it in that one as well. But I didn't. It was only in my right hand and almost made me buckle at the knees. It wasn't painful feeling just pressure and it literally felt like a nail was being driven through my skin, through my hand. Felt about an inch in diameter. It felt so real that I had to close my eyes and when I opened them I even felt I had to look at my hand. There was nothing there. I can still feel the sensation a bit.

It was like Jesus was sharing His pain with me, showing me that He is here. That He is blessing us and will take care of us. That His hands are strong and will help us. Although it may be a tough time and I rebuke Satan when he starts to tell me, well if you didn't tithe you could have.....I am choosing to trust God. I rebuke Satan and tell Him that God has my back and will support me and my family. I am choosing to trust in God.

So I left service thanking God and praising Him for the feeling He gave me. I tried to explain it to Phil as well and I worried he would think I was crazy but he didn't. I try to get the words out now and it just seems like the words don't justify the experience. It was a great experience that I hope to always treasure and remember. I feel blessed by Him. I trust Him and will continue to walk with Him. Whether I FEEL Him or not. I walk in Faith. I believe it was my faith that allowed me to feel a part of Him in the moment. I feel very blessed and am grateful for the experience. I am glad I took the plunge.....