Holy Encounters

Spiritual experiences are never things to explain or define, but only things to which we can bear witness.  When Isaiah experienced the glory of the Lord in the Temple, he did not seek to do anything but to speak of his experience.  He might have anticipated a thousand questions of all the skeptics, but it was not a moment for convincing the doubters.  It was a moment for bearing witness to the way in which God had revealed Himself.  The witness found in those words which seek to describe glory are presented in a believe-it-or-not fashion.  What anyone might think could not change the reality of the moment for Isaiah.  (Isaiah 6)

 

We are often tempted to bookend our testimony of God being at work in our lives by disclaimers and explanations which end up watering down a transcendent moment of grace and glory.  Such happens as someone begins a witness with words like, "I know this is hard to believe, but..." or, "This may sound strange..."  The Old Testament prophet simply spoke of the way he experienced the majesty, the glory, and the forgiveness of God.  What others did with it did not concern him. 

 

There is a kind of holy boldness in such a witness.  Actually, we have grown a bit shy about talking too much about the moments of extravagant grace.  We do not want anyone to get the idea we think of ourselves as someone special.  We want very much to be like everyone else.  Blending in is the name of the game.  But, anyone who has encountered the Holy One can never blend in again and be true to his or her own soul.  When God has touched us, we are never the same.