Morning Prayer & Song

I am in Bangalore, India. My room is right across from the Bible College that I am visiting for these next days. This morning, as dawn approaches, and because I have the doors to my little patio open, I could hear (they only just finished) the students as they gathered in the top room singing praises to the Lord.

Their deep voices (the women’s voices didn’t carry to my room) carried out over the pre-dawn silence with a peace and a welcome to the day unlike any other. It was beautiful worship from hearts intent on loving and walking with God.

I’ve heard early morning song and prayers in many places before, but this today was something different. It carried no anxiety, no fear, no battling it out in defence (a stance often taken by Christians), but rather a simple prayer of adoration and exaltation.

I wonder what the neighbours think. Their song lasted all of six minutes, but was enough to set my day in proper accord, reminding my heart to be turned to God.

It was not harsh, nor jarring, not loud and grating, not imposing, a simple statement rather, a gentle call to worship, a soft voice in the coming light of day. I think this is how it is to be done. We need not take anything by force, no need to carry on for hours, no need for condemnations or strange ‘incantations’, but rather by the spirit of our Lord, low and gentle, we rock the world with the pure, undiluted, powerful love of God.

I’m teaching these students for this next week and I am excited to be with them. The presence of God is palpable, amazing, gentle, refreshing, peace loving, bearing good fruit.