With Authority from Heaven and Conviction in Her Soul...

2 weeks ago, we were out visiting a remote village church in a place called Les Rois.  I have a special place in my heart reserved for Les Rois.  Here is why.... (I Met Christ Incarnate, blog post from September 2009)  (If you are a map person, you can go here and find "Picot - Les Rois")  But anyway, back to the story.  As we approached the church, the ladies in the church were singing like angels.  It was as if we were approaching heaven.  I had no idea what was about to happen. Once inside, we sang a few more songs, and then the Pastor invited an older woman in the church to come forward and sing a song.  She chose #17.  You can listen to a random youtube video I found of the song here.  Here are the lyrics with translation for the first verse and chorus...

Verse 1
Mwen byen kontan ke Papa mwen nan syèl,
I am happy because my father who is in heaven,
Pale nan liv li pou di m Li renmen m
tells in the Bible that he loves me.
Nan pawòl Li, m jwenn anpil bèl bagay
In His word, I find many good things
Sa ki pi bèl sèke Jezi renmen m.
The most important thing is that Jesus loves me.

Chorus
A la m kontan m wè, Jezi renmen m,
I am happy to see how Jesus loves me.
Jezi renmen m, Jezi renmen m,

Jesus Loves me, Jesus loves me.
A la m kontan ,m wè Jezi renmen m

I am happy to see how Jesus loves me.
Jezi renmen m tout tan.

Jesus loves me always.

As she sang the Holy Spirit filled the room. As she sang, she kept thumping her chest to emphasize how strongly she believed the words she sang.  Every thump was a drum beat on my soul. She kept staring at the team and I, with authority from heaven and conviction in her soul, to teach us a lesson we were desperate to learn.  We didn't know it, but we weren't there to serve that day.  Instead, in our ignorant "poverty", we were there to learn from this "rich" woman.  I was thinking to myself...  This woman ONLY has Jesus.  She has nothing in terms of this world.  All of the stuff that we think we need, that we think satisfies, she does not have. ALL of it.  Yet, she is happy.  It is deeper than happiness, it is joy.  Deep seated joy that only comes from gut level trust in Jesus.  Once she was done, the pastor got up and shared that this woman had lost a son in the earthquake, and then again recently lost another son.  This news just put it over the top for me.

Psalm 63:1 reminds us, this world has nothing that will satisfy.  Yet, the Lord God satisfies "as with the richest of foods".   I can't not think of Job.  We don't really understand.  I have a lot to learn.  

I can't wait to get back to Les Rois for my next lesson.

Here I am sharing at Les Rois Church

Here is the woman singing "Mwen Byen Kontan Ke"