Breaking Out of Routine

Every night, like clockwork, at 6 we have prayer.
Even on Sundays, after our three hour morning service, that night we have
prayer. We pray, they sing three songs in their language, we sing three songs, one
of us speaks, Subodh translates, and then we pray for a good 10 minutes
together out loud, and then it’s over.

It’s routine. When I was praying through that ten
minute prayer one evening, I realized that. Instead of really focusing on
praying I would be praying that the longest prayer in history would end because
I was tired and the scarf on around my head was making me sweat. When the kids
sing their songs, I don’t know what they are saying, and they are so repetitive
that sometimes I let my thoughts drift somewhere else. We preach a lot of bible
stories to the kids, so I tune them out, I’ve heard them before, so I don’t really
need to hear them again. It was getting so routine that it was starting to lose
its meaning.

So I prayed about it. I asked God to open my eyes
the next evening, to give me a refreshing look at prayer time, to really focus
on being in His presence.

And the next night was amazing.

We prayed and started the service.

And God spoke.

The kids sang their songs, and God said, ‘Morgan,
watch them. Look at the joy on their faces.’

So I scanned the room and watched them. That night,
they were especially loud, clapping their hands and singing their heads off.
Their little eyes closed tightly they belted out their songs. And when I closed
my eyes I could understand them. Granted I still had no idea what they were
saying, but that didn’t matter. No matter how it comes out, worship is still
worship. They were praising the King of Kings and Lord of Lords with so much
joy. And it was beautiful.

Then it was our turn. And God said, ‘Morgan, sing,
really listen to the words.’

And I did, and the songs took on new meanings. I wasn’t singing because I had to, I was singing because I wanted to. God
reminded me that I wasn’t singing to a room full of kids, I was singing to Him.
The Most High, the most deserving, the most powerful Being, the One who determines
when I take my last breath. The last thing I should be doing is singing
halfheartedly to the Creator of the Universe. Now the words ‘It’s ALL about You’
sounded different when I sang them.

Next was the message. Abigail got up to speak, and
God said, ‘Morgan, focus on what I am going to speak through her.’ And it was
wonderful. She spoke about community, and how we should live as a community of
believers in Christ. She reminded us of how Christ sacrificed His life so we
can live in community with Him, so we can live forever with Him in eternity; and
how we should live our lives in remembrance of that every day. It renewed my
passion for Him, and made  me want to go
out and preach Gods love and grace right then and there to anyone who would
listen.

And that night as we prayed, ten minutes wasn’t long
enough. I couldn’t praise Him enough for what He had done in my life. I couldn’t
thank Him enough for what He had done for my life. And I couldn’t stop asking Him
to continue to move in my life.  

And I started to cry.

I realized how much I was going to miss this.

I’m going to miss sitting on the floor, against a
wall, waiting for my feet to go numb as a sit crossed-legged for an hour.

I’m going to miss how our voices, hands, and a drum
are our only musical instruments.

I’m going to miss watching the kids sing. I’m going
to miss how Subodh can’t clap with rhythm to save his life. How Marcus is so
off key but screams it out anyways.

I’m going to miss singing with the team, eyes
closed, lifting up our songs as one voice to our Savior.

I’m going to miss the kids trying to sing along with
us (There’s nothing like Kopita singing ‘der’s no God like Jahobah.’).

I’m going to miss our ten minute prayer, our English
mixing in with kids praying in Bengali.

I’m even going to miss wearing a scarf around my
head.

God definitely changed my perspective on our Prayer
time, every night since has gotten better and better. And He also taught me to
really listen to Him and to continually be in His presence.

Because there is nothing like it.

So if you find me sitting on the floor when I get
back, clapping with a scarf around my head, listening to music and singing; disregard
me.

I’m back in India singing and praising my Father
with 34 of my dear brothers and sisters in Christ.