Spirit's Pavilion 7

The young man started speaking again. "Jesus, I want more. I want more of You. I don't even know why I'm saying this. I've never talked to You like this before. I feel like I want You. I feel desire. I feel like I want to know You. I don't really understand what's happening to me right now. I almost can't help saying this. Can You hear me? Are You the reason I'm saying this? Are You the reason I'm feeling this strange.....this strange.....hunger, this ache? That's what it feels like. It feels like an ache. Like I want something to change the way I am inside. Does that make sense to You? I feel silly, but I don't know what else to do. Something is happening to me that I can't explain. Something is different. Is this You Jesus? Are You working in me? In me? Please help me. Please help me to want more of You. My life isn't working. My routine isn't enough. There has to be more. I want there to be more."

Several of those who remained went down on their knees while He talked out loud to God. You could see several heads ever so slightly nodding "yes" as he talked. It was a nod of "Me too. Me too Jesus."

Sometimes it only takes one for something to shift. Sometimes it only takes one moment for something to shift. When the young man started weeping that night in the Pavilion, something shifted. Things had hummed along for weeks and weeks. There was nothing wrong with the routine as they gathered time after time. God is the one who knows the eternal value of the forming of hearts. The value isn't inherently found in "that was a fun meeting" or "her teaching was so strong". The value is...

WHATEVER HE CHOOSES.

WHOMEVER HE CHOOSES.

WHENEVER HE CHOOSES.

WHYEVER HE CHOOSES.

WHEREVER HE CHOOSES.

HOWEVER HE CHOOSES.

It's always His glory alone.

Though the gathering was technically over, there was this unusual hovering of time. Some had left the Pavilion, but not everyone had. It seemed that some were pulled to stay in the uniqueness of those particular moments. There was a holding curiosity that hovered around the Pavilion. An adult friend, one of his youth leaders, moved towards the young man and they began to quietly talk. Eventually they just sat down on the floor of the Pavilion and they had a newer kind of conversation with each other. One unlike they had ever had before. They enjoyed it. There was freedom in their words. Something shifted. Something new was happening. The young man had come as he always so faithfully did. And in the familiar routine of his night, God's Spirit moved in an unexpected way. The moments were glorious. Some of those who were there somehow knew that a shift was happening. They just knew. When you haven't experienced and encountered something before, you don't know to be looking for it. There is no reason to anticipate something that you don't know to anticipate or don't particularly care about anticipating. But when it happens, you know. You just know.

Other conversations were sparking around the Pavilion. Parents in their cars began to pile up in the parking lot looking for their sons and daughters. This was a familiar routine. Their children would walk out of the Pavilion at the end of the meeting to jump in their car to head home with their parents for a late dinner and Sunday night homework. But students weren't coming out of the Pavilion. A few horns honked. A few students trickled out, but not the full rush that would be normal. Several parents decided to park and walk up to the Pavilion. As they reached the edge they sensed something was happening. They didn't hear the usual thump of music over the speakers. They heard a loud quiet and some quiet tears as they approached. They slowed to survey the Pavilion. There were many little pockets of students and leaders huddled with intention throughout. Several started moving towards their sons and daughters as they panned the Pavilion. They slowly approached the huddled conversations encountering tender words and tears.

The young man's dad arrived where his son and the leader friend had been sitting talking. The father had a decision to make. There was not a typical, "hey bud, we need to get going". The father sat down and joined them. The dad slowed to be with his son and their friend. The young man had a decision to make. Would he try to take the shift into his own hands and try to close down what had been happening with him? Or would he stay in it and invite his dad into what was happening inside of him?

"Something has happened to me tonight Pop."

The matrix crumbled some more.

Ahhh, the vastness of the heart of the Father. A new story began. A larger story. Hours earlier they had no idea what was about to happen. And now a larger story....

Folks lingered. They didn't want to leave.

"Something has happened to me tonight Pop."

There's more.