Heaven & A Holy Feast

The following is taken from the book Extreme Devotion. Learn from this man.

Drunken Russian guards entered the cold cell one harsh winter afternoon. One prisoner, Nicolaie Moldovae, was a poet and composer as well as a devout believer and leader of an evangelical movement in the Orthodox church. He received a five year sentence in the brutal Russian prison for his ministry work.

“Lie on your belly!” a guard yelled to Nicolaie. In his thin shirt and shorts, he lay on the freezing floor. The guards then stepped on his back, legs, and feet with their heavy boots for an hour.

When the guards left, fellow prisoners knelt beside Nicolaie to see how badly he was hurt. To their amazement, Nicolaie said, “I have written a new hymn while I was being walked upon.” He began to sing, “May I not only speak about future heavens, but let me have heaven and a holy feast here.”

After Nicolaie was released from prison, the Communist police searched his home and confiscated a unique book of manuscripts that Nicolaie had worked on for several years. Hundreds of hours of precious work, writing, and devotion were immediately taken. After this, Nicolaie composed another hymn. “I worship you with gratitude for all you ever gave me, but also for everything beloved you took from me. You do all things well, and I will trust in you.”

Today, Nicolaie Moldovae’s songs are celebrated throughout his nation.

It has been said that life is ten percent what happens and ninety percent how one responds to what happens. In that light, the actual circumstances of life do not matter as much as a person’s attitude toward them. Circumstances are beyond anyone’s control. But an attitude or response is a choice. Life may bring us a disharmonious jumble of notes and melodies in a minor key. With God’s help, however, we can choose to arrange the notes to produce a song of worship and victory. We can choose to hear melody in the madness of our lives. How would you describe the current circumstances in your life? What is your attitude toward your situation? What do you need to do to change your tune?