Do the motives of people who come time and again expecting God to “touch” them concern you? They did me many years ago. Our church was in revival mode and people were coming expecting yet another personal experience of God’s power.
Then one day the Lord asked me: “Why did Moses turn aside to see the burning bush?”
“Well, because he was curious.” I answered.
“Then don’t worry about why they come,” He said. “Your job is to see that they take off their shoes when they get here.”
I remembered that Moses removed his footwear when God told him that he was standing on holy ground. An angel later said the same to Joshua. The healed Naaman took a load of dirt from Israel home to Syria to kneel on whenever he prayed. An Australian soldier in a war zone did likewise when he took with him some soil from home to stand on before going out on patrol.
We do well when we prize God’s presence. Without it we have nothing to stand on. Yes, we know that we are justified by faith irrespective of how isolated we may feel, yet His personal presence ‘in the moment’ adds comfort to assurance. At times, Jesus acted as the Son of God, and at others times as the son of Man. We are sons of God through the new birth yet like Jesus remain human.
So, some people in Pentecostal church fall “under the power of God” regularly and predictably in meetings, but it does then no harm and for all we know a lot of good. And among them may be some who are being “touched” by the Spirit of God for the very first time.
God on them, I say!