Embarrassed For The Lord

Let me share a peculiar story which often occurs in our Tuesday prayer meeting at Church. It's about a specific brother. He is a quiet gentleman who prefers to sit alone. However when praise and worship start he will be changed to a totally different person. At that moment most eyes including mine are on him. At the midst of the worship experience his body will begin to shake. Then suddenly he shouts few words of hallelujah and will fall on the ground. The Pastors will began to run towards him to help. Thankfully I have never seen him bleeding. I always wonder, if I were him, how I might have felt? O LORD please do not embarrass me in public!

The following story is taken from the life of St. Teresa of Avila. "As she started to pray again, God gave her spiritual delights: the prayer of quiet where God's presence overwhelmed her senses, raptures where God overcame her with glorious foolishness, prayer of union where she felt the sun of God melt her soul away. Sometimes her whole body was raised from the ground. If she felt God was going to levitate her body, she stretched out on the floor and called the nuns to sit on her and hold her down. Far from being excited about these events, she "begged God very much not to give me any more favors in public."

When Teresa became an object of gossip like my brother above, Jesus told her, "Teresa, that's how I treat my friends" Teresa responded, "No wonder you have so few friends." 

May the LORD help us to be embarrassed for him in public just like King David, St. Teresa and our beloved brother. Jesus is our loyal friend. Amen

Love and blessings

Brehane-meskel Araya