HINENI
Every year in Hobart, the state capital city of Tasmania, here in Australia, churches across the city from virtually all denominations and theological persuasions come together for an annual celebration of the Church of Jesus Christ.They put aside the differences in liturgical and worship styles, to celebrate the fundamentals which unite the church - the common understanding that Jesus Christ is Lord of the Church, and that, as the second Person of the Trinity, He came to earth to live as one of us, yet being fully God in human form. He willinglylaid down His life to be crucified on a cruel Roman cross, shedding His life's blood, as the once for all sacrifice for the sins of all those who would acknowledge His substitutionary death for our sins.
The event is called aptly "Church Together" and has been running now for something in the order of fourteen years. This year, twenty five churches across the spectrum of church expressions - Catholic, Protestant Evangelicals, and Pentecostal churches united under the canopy of the Princes Wharf 1 shed at Salamanca, on Hobart's iconic waterfront, to demonstrate to the city that the church, at its core is united in proclaiming the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and to pray for the blessing of God Almighty on Hobart, Tasmania and the nation as a whole. A number of other church congregations from outside the Hobart Metro area were also represented by those attending.
As well as a program of high quality contemporary, with a couple of older worship, songs lead by singers and musicians from nine different churches across the city, "Church Together" this year was greatly privileged to have as its guest speaker / preacher, world-acclaimed former Hillsong worship pastor, Darlene Zschech, who now, with her husband Mark pastor a church called Hope Unlimited Church north of Sydney, with several other church plant campuses, here in Australia and overseas. It must be said, also, that each year the Church Together rally has been blessed with excellent speakers with national and, in fact, international respect, including the likes of Karl Faase last year, and Will Graham - the son of Franklin Graham, and grandson of the late Billy Graham - several years ago.
My wife and I were blessed by Darlene Zschech's humility, as she told those gathered that she was honoured to be invited, and that she did not take for granted the opportunity to be asked to speak at this event. Having written over one hundred praise and worship songs, many of which have been recorded on Hillsong top selling albums, as well as her own recording projects, and having been in much demand, both in Australia, as well as overseas, as a worship leader, conference speaker, TV show guest, author of a number of books - she has also faced some major crises in recent years, particularly that of battling breast cancer, and emerging victorious after much prayer, surgery and medical treatment - cancer free, now going on for four years. Praise the Lord!
As an aside, it is interesting to reflect that, in 2013, Darlene released a wonderful album called "Revealing Jesus - A Live Worship Experience" recorded in Birmingham, Alabama. One of the most powerful songs on the album is one called "In Jesus Name."
To quote some of the lyrics: God is fighting for us
God is on our side
He has overcome
Yes He has overcome
We will not be shaken
We will not be moved
Jesus You are here
I will live, I will not die
The resurrection power of Christ
Alive in me and I am free
In Jesus' Name
I will declare and lift You high
Christ revealed and I am healed
In Jesus' Name
In the recording, she stops singing and relates how in their time of rehearsal, she had a sense that she wanted to declare to the audience that if anyone was fighting cancer, they needed to declare the words of this song over them. She said a couple of times emphatically: "I hate cancer, I hate cancer!"
I have wondered if the Lord gave her this song, as well as the boldness to stand against the curse of cancer during this live worship event, because nothing takes the Lord by surprise, and He knew Darlene would in the space of less than two years time, face her own cancer battle. The words of the song no doubt fortified her to stand strong on the Word of God for her healing through that time.
Darlene Zschech's message to the "Church Together" gathering in Hobart centred around a Hebrew word "HINENI" as spoken by Abraham in Genesis 22:1. The Lord had already told Abraham that he and his wife, Sarah would have a son in their old age - Sarah would be ninety and Abraham one hundred when the promised son, Isaac was born. Some years before this, the Lord had told Abraham, as recorded in Genesis 15:5 "Look up toward heaven and count the stars, if you able to count them." And He said to him, "So will your descendants be." In Genesis 17:17 it says: Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart, "Shall a child be born to a child to a man that is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?".....................Then God said, "......Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call his name Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant and with his descendants after him."
As promised, Sarah in her old age, bore Abraham a son and they named him Isaac. Fast forward a number of years to the incident recorded in Genesis 22. We are not told how old Isaac is, but we must assume he was probably at least a healthy strong teenager, or older.
In verse 1, it says After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!"
And he said, "Here I am!" The response of Abraham: "Here I am!" is a translation of the Hebrew word HINENI, which means more than just a passive response. It has the meaning of not only, Here I am, but, also holds the sense that whatever you ask of me, I will do it! It was a statement of total trust in God. As we read on in Genesis 22, we see God's directive to Abraham to take Isaac to Mount Moriah and to offer him up as a burnt sacrifice. Abraham responded in total trust and obedience to the Lord. He passed the test, and we are told that, just at the time he was going to kill his son, having placed him on the pile of wood, that the angel of the Lord called out to Abraham and told him not to lay his hands on the boy or do anything to him, because now I know that you fear God, seeing that you have not withheld your only son from Me."
The Lord continues to encourage Abraham that because of his obedience, his descendants, through Isaac, would be multiplied as the stars in the heavens and the sand on the seashore and that they would rule with great authority over their enemies.
We as Christians today, and as the Church of the Living God, need to have same Hineni attitude of response to the Lord. Whatever He asks of us, we need to respond with that same faith attitude of Abraham.
Darlene made an interesting statement, which was not original with her, but nevertheless worthy of reflection: When the church loses its voice, the world loses its conscience.
Let us resolve to walk close to the Lord. To be worshipping warriors, lifting high the banner of God's love and truth, as His image bearers to carry His love, grace and truth.
As an aside, it is interesting to reflect that, in 2013, Darlene released a wonderful album called "Revealing Jesus - A Live Worship Experience" recorded in Birmingham, Alabama. One of the most powerful songs on the album is one called "In Jesus Name."
To quote some of the lyrics: God is fighting for us
God is on our side
He has overcome
Yes He has overcome
We will not be shaken
We will not be moved
Jesus You are here
I will live, I will not die
The resurrection power of Christ
Alive in me and I am free
In Jesus' Name
I will declare and lift You high
Christ revealed and I am healed
In Jesus' Name
In the recording, she stops singing and relates how in their time of rehearsal, she had a sense that she wanted to declare to the audience that if anyone was fighting cancer, they needed to declare the words of this song over them. She said a couple of times emphatically: "I hate cancer, I hate cancer!"
I have wondered if the Lord gave her this song, as well as the boldness to stand against the curse of cancer during this live worship event, because nothing takes the Lord by surprise, and He knew Darlene would in the space of less than two years time, face her own cancer battle. The words of the song no doubt fortified her to stand strong on the Word of God for her healing through that time.
Darlene Zschech's message to the "Church Together" gathering in Hobart centred around a Hebrew word "HINENI" as spoken by Abraham in Genesis 22:1. The Lord had already told Abraham that he and his wife, Sarah would have a son in their old age - Sarah would be ninety and Abraham one hundred when the promised son, Isaac was born. Some years before this, the Lord had told Abraham, as recorded in Genesis 15:5 "Look up toward heaven and count the stars, if you able to count them." And He said to him, "So will your descendants be." In Genesis 17:17 it says: Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart, "Shall a child be born to a child to a man that is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?".....................Then God said, "......Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call his name Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant and with his descendants after him."
As promised, Sarah in her old age, bore Abraham a son and they named him Isaac. Fast forward a number of years to the incident recorded in Genesis 22. We are not told how old Isaac is, but we must assume he was probably at least a healthy strong teenager, or older.
In verse 1, it says After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!"
And he said, "Here I am!" The response of Abraham: "Here I am!" is a translation of the Hebrew word HINENI, which means more than just a passive response. It has the meaning of not only, Here I am, but, also holds the sense that whatever you ask of me, I will do it! It was a statement of total trust in God. As we read on in Genesis 22, we see God's directive to Abraham to take Isaac to Mount Moriah and to offer him up as a burnt sacrifice. Abraham responded in total trust and obedience to the Lord. He passed the test, and we are told that, just at the time he was going to kill his son, having placed him on the pile of wood, that the angel of the Lord called out to Abraham and told him not to lay his hands on the boy or do anything to him, because now I know that you fear God, seeing that you have not withheld your only son from Me."
The Lord continues to encourage Abraham that because of his obedience, his descendants, through Isaac, would be multiplied as the stars in the heavens and the sand on the seashore and that they would rule with great authority over their enemies.
We as Christians today, and as the Church of the Living God, need to have same Hineni attitude of response to the Lord. Whatever He asks of us, we need to respond with that same faith attitude of Abraham.
Darlene made an interesting statement, which was not original with her, but nevertheless worthy of reflection: When the church loses its voice, the world loses its conscience.
Let us resolve to walk close to the Lord. To be worshipping warriors, lifting high the banner of God's love and truth, as His image bearers to carry His love, grace and truth.
