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Glorious Day

This past Friday, my sister and I trekked to Pensacola for Unite Gulf Coast. It was a free event sponsored by over 140 area churches. The highlight of the evening was getting to see For King + Country. But there was more.

Passion Music ushered the 7,000 attendees into the presence of God, opening with the song, “Glorious Day.” This particular song has some significance for me. 

On Monday, September 7, 2020, I was riding with Wess (he was fifteen at the time) to Ozark. We had a dog in obedience school, and it was time to pick her up. On the way, I began receiving phone calls about Pastor Chuck. Ultimately, a message from our church went out asking us to pray for Pastor Chuck and the gentleman who was with him because they had been in a vehicle accident.

My music playlist shuffled as I began to pray and call others from our church to find out more details. “Glorious Day” kept coming on, and I would skip to another song. I look back now and see that God was using this song to prepare me for the news that Chuck had run out of the grave of this life here on earth.

It took a while for me to listen to that song because it kept playing the day he died. But Friday, as Passion came onto the stage leading with this song, tears began to steam down my face. I sang along with every word until the bridge when God spoke into me.

WHEN I WAS BROKEN YOU WERE MY HEALING. NOW YOUR LOVE IS THE AIR THAT I’M BREATHING. I HAVE A FUTURE; MY EYES ARE OPENED, ‘CAUSE WHEN YOU CALLED MY NAME, I RAN OUT OF THAT GRAVE.

At this moment, God whispered the reminder that in the brokenness of my pain, He pieced me back together. He reminded me that I have a future and am “undone” because I’m still breathing. While this song began with Chuck running into Heaven out of the grave, it ended with me running out of the grave of grief and into the glorious life that God still wants for me. 

But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. (Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭20‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

Since 2020, I have a deeper understanding of the call to ministry. My life should be spent sharing the love of Jesus with others wherever I am. It may not always look like I expect it to look-in fact, most of the time it won’t! But with God leading me, I can walk confidently into the future with open eyes. 

My assignment is simple: be like Jesus. Share His good news of salvation with those around me. Keep walking until the Glorious Day that I see Him face to face.

© Jill Cook and Unbroken & Undone Ministries.  All rights reserved.

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