Emotionalism or Reality?

I was just thinking tonight about emotionalism versus the reality of a real experience. For example, have you ever sat in your favorite chair and not even really noticed it and then another time when you sit in it, it feels so comfortable and homey that you never want to leave? Did you "psyche yourself up" to feel the comfort of that chair?

I have heard people talk about the importance of not demanding "an experience" with God lately and I wonder if that is a cop out. I mean, aren't we supposed to "earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially that (we) may prophesy" (I Corinthians 14:1)? I don't know about you but when I earnestly desire something, I feel pretty emotional about it. And doesn't prophesy by definition mean hearing from God (the awesome, uncreated one who passionately pursues us) and sharing that word with others? I have heard people say that prophesying simply means teaching God's Word (the Bible) to others and I think that is one way of prophesying but by definition, if it's prophesy, the prophet believes he has heard from God that the word he is telling the people is for that group of believers on that occasion. Otherwise, it is preaching - a verb that is also in the Bible and that has it's place.

Also, when someone tells me not to demand an experience with God, I think of Moses telling God "show me your glory" (Exodus 33:12-23). The Lord said to him, "I will send my presence with you" and Moses replied "if your presence doesn't go with me, don't send us up from here" but "please show me your glory". That sounds pretty insistent and God honored his request to the point that from that encounter on Moses wore a veil around people so that the shine on his face wouldn't freak them out (Ex. 34:29-35). When I think of Moses, I think of someone saying to the Lord, "I have left everything for you. I have to have the reality of you because you are all I have and now that I know you a little bit I want to know you more and more and more."

Another important aspect of Moses' experience with the Lord is that when he went to the Tent of Meeting (to write the Bible :)), God's presence would decend on the tent and the people would stand at the doorways of their tents and worship because of the glory that they saw (Exodus 33:7-11). That is what happens when we insist to the Lord, "I must have more of you. I cannot go on with this mundane life and pretend I have had intimacy with you. I must know you and I must have the reality of you in my experience." When we press in to that degree, others are drawn to worship the Lord by the presence of the Lord.

One final note - the Holy Spirit is given to us as a guarantee of our salvation. I John 3:24 says 'by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit who he has given us.' Now, I know that the Holy Spirit is not JUST an experience, but there is a reality to the Holy Spirit that can sometimes be felt, just as that comfy chair can be felt. If it is not an experience that can be felt, then what does this passage mean?

I have been involved in "Charismaniac" churches before in the past and I never want to go back there. I don't want to hype up an emotional experience but I do want to have a reality to my relationship with God. With Moses I cry out, "show me your glory."