We had a night of worship and prayer at church tonight. In a few days our church, like churches all across the world, will celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus. We gathered tonight to pray for many things, but mostly for Sunday. It was there, standing in a circle with a handful of others, that God showed me a beautiful sight.

I would say that the majority of churches across this country will be fuller than normal this Sunday. There are so many individuals and families that come to church on Christmas and Easter only and are often referred to as CEOs (Christmas, Easter Only) because of that. That means churches have two big chances to “reach” people with the Good News of Jesus Christ during the year. A lot of thought and prayer goes into an Easter service.

I would also say that a lot of churches will be praying for there to be so many people come to their church that their sanctuaries and auditoriums be at standing room only. I have seen that plenty of times on holiday services.

But tonight, as I listened to our pastor pray, as I heard his heart for the lost, God gave me that beautiful sight. I heard Pastor Mike ask that those without hope, without eternity, chained by fear find their way through the doors of this church. And, if not this church, then may they find their way to a person that can lead them to the saving grace of Jesus. He never asked for offering baskets to be overflowing. He didn’t ask that the seats be filled with church hoppers and CEOs. He never asked that people walk away saying what an amazing preacher he is. He simply asked that the lost find their way to church to hear, to see, and experience love.

As he continued to pray, I thought about the misguided prayers to fill the rooms to over-flowing, standing room only. What good is a full room if no one walks away changed? What good is the highest attendance you have ever seen, if none return to testify?

So there I stood in this circle, with the pastor’s wife, Candice, to my left and my husband, Mark, to my right. I stood there praying in the spirit, when both Mark and Candice squeezed my hand very tightly at the same time.  I think I would have fallen from what my soul saw had they not been holding me so tightly. The same time that God showed me this: 
I saw the sanctuary filled! Except it was a kneeling room only. There was not one person standing. There weren’t chairs or pews. It was a room of surrender. A room of forgiveness. A room of love. A room of freedom. A room so overcome by that crazy, passionate, life-giving, abundant act of love. A room in awe and surrender of kept promises when Christ arose.  A room of worship. A room of hope.

I pray that Sunday finds all of us in a kneeling room only.