Persepolis

I've had a lot of cool things happen to me in my life. There was the time I sat in the street, blocked traffic and got arrested with my rebel priest and fellow church members and took a crooked suburban Mayor and a store selling drug paraphernalia to task. That was pretty cool. Going to the Southwest to visit the Indian ruins at Mesa Verde, and other such places was also a highlight. And I have no words to describe Arches National Park in Moab, Utah. But as far as God ordained experiences, there is one that tops the cool list without competition...

The one place I want to visit more than anywhere in the world is Persepolis. But being that it is located in Iran ... I'm not holding my breath...Persepolis was the main palace of King Xerxes and Darius. It is believed that Nehemiah, Daniel and Esther all spent time there. A while back, I was going through a particularly difficult trial by fire. It was pretty rough. In fact it was one of the most difficult things I have ever endured. There were days when I literally had to pray my way out of bed. One morning during this time while I was worshipping before our church service, I saw myself in the Spirit. I was worshipping at Persepolis. I wondered what on earth it meant. It was an intense experience to say the least. As I sat in service a while later, I heard the voice of the Holy Spirit speak to me almost audibly. He directed me to go to the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, a place I had not been in nearly twenty years and remembered nothing about. Now mind you, I am not one of those people who says that God told me what to wear today, what to eat today, etc... I went on line as soon as I got home and found out that the next time I would be able to visit would be Tuesday. Tuesday morning, after prayer, I scooted over to the Oriental Institute. I walked through the museum and saw some very fascinating things. Took a few notes, etc, still wondering why I was there. I finally entered the last room and read the plaque on the wall. "Persepolis Exhibit." And I was so glad I was alone, because I could have sat down in the middle of the floor right then and there and bawled like a baby. I walked around looking at the different artifacts, fighting the tears. It made me breathless to think that Queen Esther herself had walked past the same adorned columns that I now stood beneath. I went to the gift shop and bought a lapis and silver ring to commemorate the event. To remind me of what had happened. I made a pledge to God that day, that I was married to my destiny, and that I would do all I could do to overcome any obstacle and desire that would try to pull me away from my God ordained purpose. The whole experience still blows my mind, and the Oriental Institute has become one of my haunts. I wear my ring nearly everyday. When things happen that discourage me, I take it off and hold it up to my face and look at it, I remember how God spoke to my heart and ordered my steps to give me a word of encouragement in one of my darkest hours. I remember that it was just between He and I, that He didn't need anyone else's help to speak to me, just my obedience. I remember that I am part of a holy nation and a royal priesthood. And that's pretty cool.