Before the Throne of God

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea:
A great High Priest, whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on his hands,
My name is written on his heart;
I know that while in heaven he stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see him there
Who made an end of all my sin.

Because a sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Praise the One, Risen Son of God!

Behold him there, the risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I am,
The King of glory and of grace!

One in himself, I cannot die
My soul is purchased by his blood
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God
With Christ, my Savior and my God

-Shane & Shane "Before the Throne" (Pages)

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So that song has been the song on my lips and in my heart for weeks now. Oh how I love it!! A lot of songs, I'll have a "favorite" verse, but on this one, I can't pick. Each verse holds such beautiful insight and deep meaning that this song as a whole blows my mind.

Tonight I had another Zimbabwe team meeting. I never realized how much you can deeply love a person so quickly. Take my last team for example. I have a very deep love for each and every one of them very uniquely to who they are. However, it took a while to establish that deep love with them. I loved them quickly but to truly deeply love them, it took a while. That is not the case with this team. Now, I don't know if I'm in a different place with the Lord than I was last time which gives me the ability to love deeper quickly or if it is the people and this team specifically. But I can say, I have a very deep love and bond with each one of them in a way I can't explain, and I've only seen some of them twice. I mean this is a "I'd give my life for you" kind of love. An agape love that can only come from the Lord. 

It is amazing to watch how God is intricately intertwining our lives and establishing a supernatural intimacy with the group. In our monthly meetings, the Spirit of the Lord is shown in tangible ways and I've moved to deeper levels of my faith. I am encouraged and challenged by each one of them and confirmed in my going over and over. I am honored and overwhelmed at the privilege of being a part of this move of God for the nation of Zimbabwe. Man, I love the 4th Monday of every month!! :)

I'm going to leave you with my "ministry" verse...Isaiah 61:1-3
"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor."