Fire in our hearts - The Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTSAWAKE O ZION!‘Polly, I’m sick of seeing you in jeans,’ she said. ‘Go and getyourself a dress!’ Dresses were made from corduroy, denimor even patchwork. With long hair and flowing dresses someof the sisters managed to extend the hippy era for a few years!Make-up vanished, too, as sisters applied the word from 1Peter 3:3-4, ‘Your beauty should not come from outward adornment...Instead, it should be... the unfading beauty of a gentleand quiet spirit.’ We had some very enthusiastic sisterswho saw the preciousness of all this and sought it. Otherswere at first reluctant, but when they let go of their naturalassertiveness, they ‘found themselves’ in a new way, and enteredinto a deeper relationship with God.Indeed, once the trauma of rediscovering our identity wasover, a new sense of security settled over the whole community.Men took up their leadership, and husbands brought agodly authority to their families. The sisters were beautifulin their loving support and made way for the men to find theirstrength and potential. So much sprang from sincere love forJesus and an innocent conscience.Much care was put into children’s upbringing. The youngsoul needed protection, training and nurture. Children shouldbe surrounded by holy influences, creativity, love and discipline.The question was always there too: would the next generationmaintain our radical vision? We held to the promise,‘Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old hewill not turn from it’ (Prov 22:6).That year saw the establishing of divine order in our relationships.Far from being ‘under law’, this was grace bringingtogether the beauties of Zion. Of course, there were conflictsand some tendency to overbalance. But we felt we were142