Prayer after offering... vision.

[AuntMama]

As soon as the offering is collected, before the offering doxology (“Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”) our pastor and our old pastor (just changed on July 1st) says a prayer. I have noticed something that has happened, during that prayer, at least a few times. When I close my eyes, (you know how you see kind of an inverse/negative image of whatever the last thing you saw) well I have gotten that image but it's like everything has this melty-drippy effect that is going up instead of down. The first time I remember paying attention to it, I casually thought that it seemed kind of symbolic of our offerings and prayers going up to God and heaven. Not until it had happened about three times (different Sundays) that I can remember, did I start to wonder if it was a vision from God. Yeah, I can be a bit slow on the uptake sometimes. lol.

 

[parsley]

Wow! How reassuring.
It sounds like you essentially know now, and you're just sharing it with us, or looking for confirmation.

When I attend Charismatic churches, people talk about visions like that, which seem to confirm God's blessing, or encourage continued efforts. Many times they see a translucent amber-gold substance, like the "streets of gold." In the visions, I think it has been any one of solid, liquid or gas.

The doxology has that sort of back-and-forth flow of blessing-- heavenly host, Trinity, all creatures here below. It's nice to think of how directly our communication goes from us to Him, and back.

Are you familiar with Revelation 5:8?

When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

9 And they *sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
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(Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost)

Psalms 56:8
You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?


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It sounds like your new pastor and your congregation have been praying for a smooth transition, and God's involvement in your church. It could be an exciting time in the history of your church!

 

[AuntMama]

Yeah, you're right on several points... I'm fairly sure that it was a vision from God, but some confirmation would be nice. I'm planning on talking to my pastor about it. And of course, going to pray about it, and going to see if it keeps happening. It is very reassuring, the thought that God would provide this vision to show me that our prayers really are being seen/heard/accepted.

I re-posted this in Testimonies because it kind of fits in both Visions and Testimonies.

 

[parsley]

It will be interesting to see how the pastor responds. Maybe that is the sort of awakening he is praying for. And what if it isn't! It will start some good conversations.