Tasting and Seeing the Lord's Goodness
by Madison Jourdan
Two weeks ago, my friends and I went to Wilmore, Kentucky to be witnesses and partakers at the revival at Asbury College. Since I have been back, many people have asked how it was, but words truly cannot describe what we experienced, being in a place with so many races, nations, tongues, generations, and denominations all praising God in unison. The greatest glimpse of heaven I have ever seen. There are numerous stories of people being saved, healed, and set free from spiritual burdens. The encounter with God is indescribable. It was so much more than just an experience. Jesus himself was in the room with us. As soon as we walked into the chapel, the abundance of peace and joy was overwhelming and beautiful.
We stayed for six hours both nights we were there. And many times throughout the night, someone would get up and say, “if you feel the Lord is releasing you from this space and can leave so others can come in, now is the time.” My friends and I would look at each other and say, “we don’t want to leave!” Eventually we ended up leaving our seats for someone else and standing against the wall. To some, that may sound selfish or greedy, like we couldn’t get up and go because we wanted more. But as I stood there, I remember recalling Psalm 34 which talks about tasting and seeing that the Lord is good. Those who taste it and see it don’t ever want to leave His presence.
Just like Joshua in Exodus 33 verse 11 when Moses was in the tent of meeting with God, the text says, “..he didn’t depart from the tent.” He didn’t want to leave God’s presence. He wanted to linger for as long as he could. And that’s how it felt at Asbury. It was so hard to leave. Even coming home, we all kept saying how badly we wanted to go back. We knew that the Holy Spirit was working outside of Asbury, but to leave a place where we were watching the Lord unleash and pour out His spirit on so many people was hard.
The next day, after leaving Asbury, my friend and I read Mark 9, which was a very spontaneous choice, but it was what I had been reading in my personal study and so we read it together. But boy, it was no coincidence. The Lord knew we needed this. Mark 9 is all about Jesus taking his inner circle guys (Peter, James, and John) up on a mountain where he transfigures before them. This imagery is staggering for the imagination. His clothes became radiant and then before them appears Elijah and Moses. Immediately, Peter interrupts Jesus, Elijah, and Moses’ conversation (imagine doing this, Ha!), and says, “Jesus it is good that we are here! Let us make 3 tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah!” He said this because he was terrified and nervous and didn’t know what else to say or think. Then, just like Peter did to Jesus, God interrupts Peter and says from a cloud, “This is my beloved son; listen to him.” After this, only Jesus was seen standing there.
There is so much to this story that I could unpack, but the main part I want to highlight is what happens after this glorious moment. We see after Elijah and Moses disappear, Jesus and the disciples go back down the mountain together and immediately are met with opposition. An unclean spirit and a bunch of scribes and disciples arguing. Back to reality, back to the real world. Imagine how hard that must’ve been to come into after all you’ve just witnessed on the mountain with Jesus.
I couldn’t help but think about our time at Asbury like this. It was truly a mountaintop. No, we didn’t see Elijah or Moses, but we certainly did see Jesus. His glory, his majesty, and his splendor (Side note: the Psalm I referenced earlier mentions in verse 5, “those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed”) think about what Jesus did when He transfigured! He shined. This is called Shekinah glory. The word ‘Shekinah’ means ‘God’s divine presence’. There are multiple times in the Bible when God is present and whoever or whatever is around Him shines. An example of this would be when Moses came down from Mount Sinai, after receiving the Ten Commandments, his face shone. Also, the Star of Bethlehem, when Jesus was born was a sign of Shekinah glory (God coming to earth.)
And we, like Peter, didn’t want to leave. I was reminded the very next day, by this passage, that, though we have to go back down the mountain and sometimes into a valley, Jesus doesn’t and he didn’t stay on the mountain. He went back down with his disciples, and He goes with us!
Dear reader, we don’t have to be afraid or feel alone, we have Jesus with us everywhere we go. He’s not leaving us (John 14:18). And the presence and majesty we crave to see and live in happens now! In our own daily lives. As my friend said, “corporate revival is amazing, but I keep reminding myself that personal revival continues with me dancing and singing and praying before the Lord just at home.” He comes back with us. Thank you, Abba, for your presence.
And now, even as I sit here on the beach reflecting and writing this, I don’t want to leave. I feel as if I have tasted a bit of heaven, being with the Lord in His creation. My soul longs to stay, just to be His, with no distractions or worries. But then Jesus reminds me, “Go, not until heaven will this be your’s forever. This is only for a moment. But don’t worry. I’m going back home with you. You must go tell others.” And just like with Peter, Jesus needed him and his other disciples to not stay on the mountain but to go back into the valley so that others could hear the good news and also taste the goodness of Jesus. This gives me so much peace, and joy, and hope to carry on, until one day in eternity, this will be my forever.
We stayed for six hours both nights we were there. And many times throughout the night, someone would get up and say, “if you feel the Lord is releasing you from this space and can leave so others can come in, now is the time.” My friends and I would look at each other and say, “we don’t want to leave!” Eventually we ended up leaving our seats for someone else and standing against the wall. To some, that may sound selfish or greedy, like we couldn’t get up and go because we wanted more. But as I stood there, I remember recalling Psalm 34 which talks about tasting and seeing that the Lord is good. Those who taste it and see it don’t ever want to leave His presence.
Just like Joshua in Exodus 33 verse 11 when Moses was in the tent of meeting with God, the text says, “..he didn’t depart from the tent.” He didn’t want to leave God’s presence. He wanted to linger for as long as he could. And that’s how it felt at Asbury. It was so hard to leave. Even coming home, we all kept saying how badly we wanted to go back. We knew that the Holy Spirit was working outside of Asbury, but to leave a place where we were watching the Lord unleash and pour out His spirit on so many people was hard.
The next day, after leaving Asbury, my friend and I read Mark 9, which was a very spontaneous choice, but it was what I had been reading in my personal study and so we read it together. But boy, it was no coincidence. The Lord knew we needed this. Mark 9 is all about Jesus taking his inner circle guys (Peter, James, and John) up on a mountain where he transfigures before them. This imagery is staggering for the imagination. His clothes became radiant and then before them appears Elijah and Moses. Immediately, Peter interrupts Jesus, Elijah, and Moses’ conversation (imagine doing this, Ha!), and says, “Jesus it is good that we are here! Let us make 3 tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah!” He said this because he was terrified and nervous and didn’t know what else to say or think. Then, just like Peter did to Jesus, God interrupts Peter and says from a cloud, “This is my beloved son; listen to him.” After this, only Jesus was seen standing there.
There is so much to this story that I could unpack, but the main part I want to highlight is what happens after this glorious moment. We see after Elijah and Moses disappear, Jesus and the disciples go back down the mountain together and immediately are met with opposition. An unclean spirit and a bunch of scribes and disciples arguing. Back to reality, back to the real world. Imagine how hard that must’ve been to come into after all you’ve just witnessed on the mountain with Jesus.
I couldn’t help but think about our time at Asbury like this. It was truly a mountaintop. No, we didn’t see Elijah or Moses, but we certainly did see Jesus. His glory, his majesty, and his splendor (Side note: the Psalm I referenced earlier mentions in verse 5, “those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed”) think about what Jesus did when He transfigured! He shined. This is called Shekinah glory. The word ‘Shekinah’ means ‘God’s divine presence’. There are multiple times in the Bible when God is present and whoever or whatever is around Him shines. An example of this would be when Moses came down from Mount Sinai, after receiving the Ten Commandments, his face shone. Also, the Star of Bethlehem, when Jesus was born was a sign of Shekinah glory (God coming to earth.)
And we, like Peter, didn’t want to leave. I was reminded the very next day, by this passage, that, though we have to go back down the mountain and sometimes into a valley, Jesus doesn’t and he didn’t stay on the mountain. He went back down with his disciples, and He goes with us!
Dear reader, we don’t have to be afraid or feel alone, we have Jesus with us everywhere we go. He’s not leaving us (John 14:18). And the presence and majesty we crave to see and live in happens now! In our own daily lives. As my friend said, “corporate revival is amazing, but I keep reminding myself that personal revival continues with me dancing and singing and praying before the Lord just at home.” He comes back with us. Thank you, Abba, for your presence.
And now, even as I sit here on the beach reflecting and writing this, I don’t want to leave. I feel as if I have tasted a bit of heaven, being with the Lord in His creation. My soul longs to stay, just to be His, with no distractions or worries. But then Jesus reminds me, “Go, not until heaven will this be your’s forever. This is only for a moment. But don’t worry. I’m going back home with you. You must go tell others.” And just like with Peter, Jesus needed him and his other disciples to not stay on the mountain but to go back into the valley so that others could hear the good news and also taste the goodness of Jesus. This gives me so much peace, and joy, and hope to carry on, until one day in eternity, this will be my forever.
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