Those Seven Words

Those seven words: “Oh God, oh God I needed you.”

Maybe, just maybe, set deep in our hearts is this small prayer, when everything else in our lives is going wrong. When we diverted ourselves in preparation, in band practice, in meetings, in budgets and supermami, unconsciously we are saying this. When we have tired our bodies at work or school, the struggle to be closer to Him – just to give even a small amount of our precious time – is our own escape. We never fully said it, but we cannot deny that it’s there: all this time we have all been hungry for His love, but our own efforts weren’t enough to sustain it.

“Keep your mind on higher things.”It was a simple Saturday morning when I was called to church for preparation. People strumming on their guitars like there’s no tomorrow welcomed my sight. So this is it, I guess. Another anniversary we would talk about for, say, 2 weeks max. I can’t even remember last year’s anniversary - and to say it was held for 2 days!

But amidst prayers during that day, I was chanting those seven words. Oh God, oh God I needed You. Let this not be another event.

We have prayed as we ate lunch. We have prayed as we did the run-through. We have prayed as we went home. And I know that as we all went to sleep, we still prayed together.

Sunday afternoon. The prayers never left us; instead it was growing louder, with a hint of desperation. “Be with us for this day is for You.” We needed Him so badly, as indicated by the tears that poured and by the comforting hugs that were offered everywhere. We have taken that as a cue to call on His people and just start worshipping Him till daybreak.

And life, as we have known it, would never be the same after that Sunday.

“So let Your name be lifted higher.”

At the end of the first song, we were blown away. The magnitude of their desire to just be with Him is so greatly felt, you have to be a stone not to get goosebumps. This is the cry of the young people who are taking that path closer to Jesus. Everything just made sense: this is His time, our wake-up call, to just respond to that calling. We were refreshed for we had had a glimpse of the life that He has in store for us. The freedom is ours; the least we could do is to jump and sing our hearts out in rejoice.

“We are people of destiny.” Pastor Jesse was right. We weren’t there by mere coincidence. God had placed us there, on the right place at the right time. And as God’s mouthpiece, He has delivered His message with all conviction and passion. Thank you for awakening our Took-ish side. Thank you for moving us.

Four hours weren’t enough to sing Him praises. A lifetime wouldn’t be enough either.

Here I am, four days after that one fateful Sunday. Sick, physically, but nourished in spirit. The shouts, the dancing, the kneeling down, that “sophisticated worship” – all of these I will carry on forever. I am just excited for what is in store for all of us in the future.

For the people who were sleep-deprived, have fasted and continually prayed with us through the end, thank you. Indeed, God has always been faithful to us. The miracles of Jesus are not found in the loaves of bread or in turning water into wine: The miracles are the people whom He has changed. Glory be to our one and only God.

Happy 11th Anniversary Ignite Youth Network!