Shortly after I was healed from a life-threatening disease and baptized in the Holy Spirit, I was asked to minister in a Pentecostal church. There I was introduced to a dimension of worship that I had never experienced before.
Sitting on the platform in my studied dignity as a former Methodist professor, observing the worship service that was so different from that to which I was accustomed, I was fascinated by all that was going on around me. Though their worship expression seemed disorderly—almost irreverent—in comparison with Methodist tradition, I could tell these people deeply loved the Lord and were expressing their love to Him.
I looked down from my seat on the platform and saw a pretty red-headed woman standing with her hands raised and her eyes closed worshiping God. She was perhaps 35 years old. Her face glowed as if it reflected a thousand-watt lightbulb. Tears were flowing down her cheeks, and I heard her say, “I love You, Jesus.”
As I watched her, it seemed to me that her face got brighter and brighter. I couldn’t hear everything she was saying from where I was, and I was curious. So I walked down off the platform and stood in front of her. She ignored me.
I leaned over and said, “You and the Lord are having a good time, aren’t you, honey?” Still she didn’t pay attention to me. I was insulted. I thought, Doesn’t she know I am the guest evangelist?
I heard her say, “You are the lily of the valley. I love You. You are the bright and morning star.” I recognized that she was quoting love phrases from the Song of Solomon. She continued, “Thank You for being my husband, my friend.” Somewhat awed, I went back to the platform.
But I could not take my eyes off her. I knew she was experiencing the presence of God in a way that I never had. I watched her awhile then walked back down to stand by her.
She did not know I was there. So I returned to the platform a second time. Still watching her, I thought, Maybe she doesn’t hear well.
I walked down a third time and stood behind her so I could speak into her ear. Again I said, “You and the Lord are having a good time together, aren’t you?”
What I really wanted to say was, “What is going on? I don’t understand what it is you are enjoying.” I thought she could explain it to me, but still she did not acknowledge my presence.
This time when I returned to the platform, I felt someone punch me. I recognized that it was the Lord trying to get my attention. He spoke to me so sweetly: “Fuchsia, you can have that if you want it.” I didn’t even know what “that” was, but I assumed He was referring to my fascination with the young worshiper.
I went to my room after the service and got on my knees. I said to the Lord, “All right, what is it? You said I could have the thing that made that girl so ‘lost’ she didn’t know I was there. What is that?”
The Lord answered, “I seek a people who worship Me in spirit and truth.”
I asked, “Is that worship? Then what have I been doing all these years?”
“Without this revelation of worship,” He replied gently, “you have simply been having religious services.”
“How can I have that?” I cried out.
Revelation of Worship
Then the Lord asked me three simple questions. First He inquired, “What would you do if you had just heard the gates of heaven click behind your heels, and you knew you were through with the devil forever?”
I responded, “I would shout, ‘Glory!'”
He said, “Shout it.” And I did.
I told Him that I would cry, “Hallelujah!”
He said, “Do it.” And I did.
Then He asked me what I would do if I looked up and saw Jesus for the first time.
I said that I would bow at His feet, kiss His nail-scarred hands and wash His feet with my tears.
He said, “Do it.”
I meditated on the efficacious, vicarious, substitutionary and mediatorial work of Calvary, and suddenly I experienced a fresh glimpse of the Lamb of God. I began to bow before the Lamb who was slain, but He asked me to look up into His face. “When you see Me face to face,” He asked, “what will you tell Me?”
