I’ve been praying about which testimony to share next. Since my last post was entitled, “Song from the Savior“, this particular testimony continually came to mind, and it seems rather appropriate that my next post be “Silly Song From the Savior.”
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In September 2008 we were in the midst of a huge saga, seeking the Lord regarding some major decisions in our lives. As the time approached that the Lord had promised to give us more information about our next step we began to press in and seek even more intently. Over Labor Day weekend, I felt like the Lord told me that we should lay aside movies and secular TV for the month of September. We don’t really watch secular TV anyway, but Jesse did enjoy watching an hour of something light-hearted after work to unwind, and we typically watch a few movies on the weekends. I told the Lord that if this was really Him prompting this fast on entertainment, that I needed Him to speak it to Jesse as well, since I am almost always the one that feels led to initiate a fast. I wanted to make sure this time that Jesse was participating because he was convinced GOD put it on his heart, not because I put it on his heart. Literally within a couple of minutes of praying that, Jesse came into the room where I was and said, “I feel like we shouldn’t watch movies or tv this month.” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That began an awesome month of spending all our spare time (precious little though it was with his crazy work hours) in the evenings and weekends reading Christian books we’d wanted to read together, listening to teachings, and spending more time seeking the Lord. We expected God to do something great during that time, and He did! It was a month full of amazing dreams and words from Him! For the purpose of this testimony, I’ll focus on just one of these.
A few weeks later on our way home from church on Sunday, Jesse and I stopped at Walgreens and on our way out saw a couple outside who seemed in a desperate situation. Their appearance and aroma announced that they were likely homeless. According to their testimony, they lived in a tent outside of town. They also said they already knew Jesus as Lord and Savior (though this claim was questionable based on other remarks made). We prayed with them about their situation and gave them some money, but at the same time were trying to be discerning about how much cash to give since it seemed drug abuse was part of the problem. We thought it would be better to offer to take them where they needed to go and pay for room/food, etc. We suggested several things to do in order to temporarily help them so they would no longer be living in their present condition until a more permanent solution could be found. But no matter what we suggested, they had a list of reasons why those options wouldn’t work; they just wanted us to give them more money.
I left that encounter feeling like a MISERABLE FAILURE. Not because we believe WE are the answer to everyone’s problems, but because we truly believe and know that the ONE who IS lives IN US and THROUGH US. Therefore, it feels utterly unacceptable to leave a person or situation no different than we found them. As we ministered to them, I had been asking the Lord for word of knowledge or other supernatural revelation that would set them free, but the only thing that came to me was that the woman needed to forgive those who had hurt her. We did minister that to her and prayed for some specific needs she had, but again, she didn’t seem to receive it, and we didn’t see the breakthrough we desired.
I was WRECKED the rest of that Sunday and the following day. That Monday night we went to our weekly class at the prophetic ministry we were involved with, and on that particular occasion we split into different ministry groups based on specific needs: prophecy, inner healing, physical healing, deliverance, etc. Everyone was supposed to be ministered to, and I was desperate to hear from the Lord in this way, but our group ran out of time before my turn.
Not satisfied with that outcome, after class I stood in the middle of the room trying to scope out who the group leaders were to see if I could prevail on one of them to pray for me before I left. As I looked around, all smiles so there was no indication that anything was troubling my soul, the Lord sent a man over to me (Mark) and after a moment of pleasantries, he offered to pray and prophesy over me. I was a bit reserved at first, cautious about receiving from him, because I didn’t know who he was or if he was even affiliated with the ministry. So I initially listened with a somewhat guarded heart. But as he continued I found myself biting my lip harder and harder, trying to hold back the floodgate of emotion that was on the verge of breaking forth as it became obvious that he was hearing accurately from the Lord. The tears eventually pooled up so big in my eyes that by the time they finally fell they literally splashed off my arms, like freakishly large raindrops, leaving at least an inch diameter pool of water behind.
The word was centered around washing away my cares and heaviness of heart regarding what had happened the day before. The Lord gave him a vision of 
me standing on a tropical island under a waterfall, and the waterfall was cleansing away my burdens over this situation. Mark had no idea we’d just made our second trip to Hawaii that summer, and that there was nowhere else I would rather be than the place he was describing, BUT GOD KNEW my favorite place and what would be especially significant to me! (Lord, are You calling us back to Hawaii!?!) As I’ve done for many years, I’d been pouring out my heart to the Lord in written prayers during the past day about what transpired. Yet, even as I did, I entertained questions about this practice, saying, “Lord, I KNOW You’re with me, You’re IN me, You hear every thought, You know every word before I speak it; so why am I writing these things out to You? Are You READING my letters? Do You SEE; do You SEE what I write? (I understand the importance of praying even though God already knows our thoughts, but my question was whether He is just hearing these prayers as they flow out of my heart, or if He is seeing/reading my written prayers too?) The Lord answered me through Mark, “The Lord wants you to know that He says, ‘I SEE! I SEE!’” Though Mark didn’t know the question the Lord was answering, I knew EXACTLY what He meant! As Mark continued, the greatest measure of healing came when he said (by the Spirit) in response to the private cries of my heart, “The Lord is not disappointed with you in any way.” Since I felt like I had failed in the situation, I had been plagued with nagging thoughts that we should have done something more, should have done something different, should have been more in tune with the Holy Spirit and heard from Him exactly what was needed to bring deliverance in the situation (as He has been faithful to give us many times before), etc. But the Lord swiftly swooped in that day to annihilate those relentless accusations from the enemy.
At the end, as the Lord was speaking through Mark about restoring my joy, he suddenly seemed hesitant to proceed. Finally, he said, “…OK…..this is really odd, but…..I hear the Lord singing a song over you…. OK…… this is really different….” Later, I learned that God often gives Mark specific songs to sing over people which are significant to them. So it wasn’t that receiving a song was different, but rather that, apparently, mine was the most interesting one he’d ever heard Him sing. I could tell he was definitely debating whether or not to share what he thought the Lord was giving him, so I had to urge him to continue. He eventually stepped out on a limb, “You know that song ‘Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree’?” As soon as he said it I burst out laughing hysterically! Seeing he must be hearing accurately from the Lord since it struck such a chord (no pun intended), 
Mark tried to maintain composure while he sang the words of the first stanza of the song. But I was already “gone” ~ doubled over in riotous laughter, now crying tears of joy. When I had calmed down and caught my breath, I explained, “The Lord knows just how to make me laugh! That is the song (the first stanza) my sister sings to me when we’re being outrageously silly and she’s trying to make me laugh! She even calls me ‘Kookaburra’ as a pet name at times!” We had never shared that silly name or song with others. I already knew Mark had been hearing from the Lord, but this was that “beyond the shadow of a doubt” confirmation that He is always so faithful to give me! The Lord is so PRECIOUS and SO FUNNY it overwhelms me!
I don’t know how this may disrupt someone’s present paradigm, but I LOVE what it reveals to us about God’s heart and character. Obviously, it reveals His desire for us to cast our cares on Him and to reject condemnation from the enemy when we don’t see the desired results from stepping out in faith. But it also reveals that the Lord has a GREAT sense of humor; after all, He made us and gave us ours (though some have allowed God’s original version to be perverted by the enemy’s counterfeits)! Like any good Father, God DELIGHTS in His children. He delights in seeing us having fun, being silly, and enjoying our lives and the blessings He’s lavished on us. Jesse and I have carried on the family traditions I grew up with of being silly beyond anything we could ever expose to civilized society. I have often said I can “feel” and “hear” the Lord laughing with, and even at, us in response to our amusing antics. This word from the Lord was an endearing confirmation from Him that He DOES join with us in, participate in, and enjoy our silliness. Imagining the Lord singing this silly song to me to break off all discouragement and bring breakthrough of joy and laughter blesses me just as much today as it did in that moment! As we seek to grow in our intimate relationship with God, I pray we will all develop a continual awareness of His Presence with us at ALL TIMES, and that we will consciously involve Him, include Him, and ENJOY HIM more in EVERY area of our lives ~ talk to Him more, hear from Him more, love on Him more, learn from Him more, depend on Him more, rest in Him more, receive from Him more, and…….laugh with Him more! HE’S WITH US!
Copyright © Laura Jewell Tyree
Here are some laughing kookaburras for anyone who needs a good laugh from seeing God’s sense of humor in His creation: 🙂
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“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” Psalm 126:2-3
“…He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, …and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.” Isaiah 61:part of 1, 3
“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16:11
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope (confident expectation of GOOD) by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Cast all your anxiety (cares) on Him because He cares for (is meticulously mindful of everything that concerns) you. I Peter 5:7
