After lunch on the third day of this year’s Passion Conference in Atlanta, about forty-five thousand people stood praising God for an hour before Louie Giglio stepped to the microphone to make an appeal. “You know it is our habit to stand while we worship in song and sit while we hear God’s lessons, but this afternoon I want to ask you to stand for the teaching of God’s Word. Of course you don’t have to do this, but I want to encourage you to remain standing and listen carefully to a message straight from God.”
I first thought to myself, “Oh man… I’m already tired. How am I going to stand through a whole sermon?” (The sermons at Passion are usually not short.) But then a little competitiveness rose up in me as I thought, “If these college kids are going to stand the whole time, I’m surely not going to sit down.” Five others joined Louie on the stage and they took turns reading Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. After each chapter the reader would pause and say, “Now we will have a moment of silence and ask Christ to speak to our hearts.”
Without an exact count, I would guess three-fourths of the audience remained standing the entire time the six chapters were read. My seat was on the row behind my eighteen-year-old daughter, Karlyn, and I smiled as she stood. The day after the conference I tried to describe my experience to Karlyn. “I was so tired the first three chapters, but sometime during the reading of chapter four or five, something changed. It was really strange, but I started getting strength in my body. I was much stronger at the end of the reading than I was at the beginning.” Karlyn replied, “The same thing happened to me, Dad. I did not sit down, because if I did, I knew I would fall asleep. I was so tired, but as we reached the second half of the Scripture I got stronger and stronger. If I didn’t get that strength, I don’t think I would have finished.”
During the pause between chapter four and chapter five, after the reader said, “Now let us be silent and listen to what the Holy Spirit says,” God spoke this to my heart: “There is strength in my Word.” This truth was accompanied by an unusual strength in my body. I can’t know whether every person in the Georgia Dome experienced the same thing, but my daughter and I did. Of course we all know there is strength in God’s Word, but what does this mean practically? Am I always to stand when the Bible is read? Am I to read out loud? Am I to read a certain length of time or use a certain translation? God is far more concerned with relationship than form or ritual. He wants us to know him and He clearly reveals himself through his Word. I think He wanted to remind me of his incredible gift. “My Word is living and active and I can speak to any situation in your life. Have you noticed how my Son used Scripture as He walked the earth? He defeated the devil in the wilderness with ‘It is written’ and I have given you access to the same wisdom and power. What are you doing with my Word? Is it the lamp to your feet and the light for your path? Will you believe what I say? Don’t be deceived by this world; let my Word bring you strength.”
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired and weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31