Why You Should Always Keep Kleenex in Your Car
Out by the thistles and the milkweed, on the gravel road that heads toward home, I knew it for sure—
This grand globe is but a covering for a very near and grander Heaven. As surely as the Good Lord lives on high, He’s knocking on doors inside people’s bodies, here on planet Earth.
Out on the gravel, with my two hands on the steering wheel, I opened that heart-door again — like I’ve done a thousand times before. Sure, it was the song on the radio that started things. But mostly, it was God.
I’ve felt it before: in the pew, on the beach, in aisle seven at Target. Or kicking up gravel on the way from the grocery store, with a gallon of milk on the passenger seat.
God knows no bounds, and worship can happen anywhere. Sometimes, Jesus comes knocking when you are wholly unaware of what you’re about to encounter. I try to keep the heart-door ajar, because I don’t want to miss any miracles.
God seems to favor the element of surprise, falling like dew on the skin, landing softly like a bird on a wire. And you look around to see if anyone else felt what you felt: an earthquake of the soul.
It happened like that the other day, on that gravel road, out past the Ter Wee farm, and down by the Browns’ pasture, near the tail-twitching horses and a single bird perched on a fence.
A song was playing, by Phillips, Craig & Dean. That trio in the speakers ushered worship straight into my car, and into my heart.
It felt like the rending of an inner veil, from the top down. I — mere mortal, lowly sinner — dwelt in the presence of the King. Me … with my laundry detergent, my loaf of bread, my box of PopTarts, and a grocery list in my back pocket.
I pulled the car to the side of the road, and felt that one tear fall down my cheek, while yielding to a Savior — out there, by the thistles, covered with thorn upon thorn upon thorn.
“When we lift our inward eyes to gaze upon God, we are sure to meet friendly eyes gazing back at us, for it s written that the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout all the earth.
The sweet language of experience is ‘Thou God seest me.’
When the eyes of the soul looking out meet the eyes of
God looking in,
heaven has begun right here on this earth.”
~ A.W. Tozer
•••••
“The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience.”
~ Emily Dickinson
•••••
“Awake my soul
prepare an entrance for Your glory
And let me soul become a throne for You to dwell
And when I need Your Holy Spirit
more than life itself
Then Christ is formed in me.”
~ Phillips, Craig & Dean
•••••
The song (found by clicking here or listening below): Awake My Soul by Phillips, Craig and Dean
Linking with Michelle Derusha…
Oh yes, I have had these experiences on the way home. My drive looks just like yours:)
I have praised and raised the roof and cried on my drives home. Inside my car is some of the best time with Him!
You said it beautifully!
Oh thank you Kristin! And thank you for “getting” what I mean here. You bless me so.
I know these moments well. It’s a long drive to get groceries, and since there’s no consistent radio, I often have the iPod going. Music is the language of my soul (I’m thoroughly convinced) and so it’s very easy to find myself in this kind of place.
Beautiful storytelling, here.
Thank you, Bekka. You have long drives to the store, too? 🙂 We are kindred spirits — singing and worshipping while we head out for eggs and lettuce and paper towels! 🙂
Love this – every bit of it, including the song. New to me – so thanks for that, first of all. But thanks most especially for capturing that moment of glory that descends out of the blue from time to time – sometimes those are the moments that keep me walking this road, that’s for sure.
Hi Diana …
Bless you. Bless your heart.
These often feel like kairos moments, coming feel at just the right time, and often like time has actually stopped.
What special moments those are. The song is new to me, but the message isn’t.
Hi Susan … I went back along those roads last night to take photographs to accompany this post. And I thought of you while I was out there in the ditch with my camera, wishing I had you in my car to guide me in my photography. You inspire me so!
Oh, I love the Tozer quote. Just that meeting, of heaven coming down for me.
Tozer inspires so much of my writing these days. I’ve read and re-read Pursuit of God. He captures so well these faith experiences.
‘Pursuit of God’ is my absolute favorite book of Tozer’s even over ‘The Knowledge of The Holy’. My life been all about the Pursuit. Thanks for sharing, Jennifer. 😀
Love, love, love this, Jennifer!! The pictures of Iowa glory would be enough, but your description of a moment like moments I know so well is glory-PLUS!!! God likes to sneak up on me in the car too–He can even get through all our traffic and exhaust fumes and concrete mazes!!
Amen, Shaunie! God knows no bounds. Just now, I’m thinking of the song ‘God of this City’ by Chris Tomlin. Do you know it?
Yielding (saw that) to that deep nudge — those are some of the greatest moments we will have on this earth.
Thanks for stopping. And for letting us have a peek.
Must. Yield. Must. Yield. In fact, I quite often need to come to a full and very long STOP.
Unrelated: A friend of ours had a baby yesterday. Her name is Lyla. 🙂
In the last part of your post I was reminded of a message that I have been receiving the past few days… I’ve been reading a book by Tammy Maltby – The God Who Sees You. She writes about Hagar’s story from Genesis 16:13 “She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Powerful words, encouraging words: God sees me… God sees you…
Beautiful, Nancy. Thank you.
Gorgeous, Jennifer. You hit so many of my favorites — random beauty that inspires spontaneous worship, PC&D, Tozer…
Hugs and blessings to you from hot, muggy, storm-ravaged VA. Please keep us in your prayers!
Praying for you, Susan… How are things in your area?
This made my heart sing! Thank you, Jennifer!
Glad you’re here, Lyn… I like singing together! 🙂
Beautiful pictures Jennifer! I can relate … the song that gets me every time is “Stronger” by Mandisa.
“When the waves are taking you under, hold on just a little bit longer.
He knows that this is gonna make you stronger, stronger.
The pain ain’t gonna last forever
and things can only get better.
Believe me
this is gonna make you stronger.”
One of my favorites and it gets me every time.
Deb,
I love that song. I crank volume to the max when Mandisa shows up!
Yes, Jennifer. Just yes.
{and I love the Tozer quote. Finished my very first Tozer book recently – I suspect I will be reading more of him}
Me, too. Tozer is someone I return to again and again.
Oh, that quote by Tozer. You capture it here, my friend, in picture. And word. It’s God’s heart for us laid bare. Beauty all around.
Dropping a link here to your great post on similar subject matter, over at The High Calling… I so appreciated your beautiful writing and insights yesterday, Laura:
http://www.thehighcalling.org/culture/book-review-heaven-place-earth
I love this Jennifer. The photos are stunning and so is the prose.
Becky! So fun to see your beautiful smile in the comment box. Thank you for your encouraging words.
oh yes, have i ever been there. oftentimes, in a car. one time in the kroger parking lot also through a song from PCD.
something precious this summer has been that apparently my young son is well acquainted with my tears of joy, my tears of worship. because recently, when we were sitting at the dining room table, those tears began to roll down my cheek once again. to which he smiled and said, “i knew that was going to happen.” which just drew my heart to worship all the more.
thankful for those times when ordinary moments are made extraordinary b/c we embrace His presence there,
tanya
Beautiful words and YES God speaks to our hearts in so many ways…I do keep kleenex in my car always and in my pocket and in my purse, you get it… never know when it is needed.
Such beauty in your photos, and words…oh, the grace of God to kiss your soul…thanks for sharing, Jennifer 🙂
This was beautiful. Thank you for sharing and encouraging others to see Him everywhere and to take every opportunity to worship and adore Him.
Deb Weaver
thewordweaver.com
The special moments when you’re all alone and God reminds us… that we’re not alone…