Music plays such a big part in my spiritual life and i love the fact that it is mentioned so many times in Scripture. i have a story i would like to share. There are two people in my choir who are younger yet extremely gifted. ...Brother and sister a few years apart. They started around 15 and 20 yrs old in my choir. Both have extraordinary voices. The boy is the oldest. He has a voice that commands attention and he knew it. He was quite confident with a good heart. The sister had an equally good voice but being the younger one she was less confident and was a bit shy with her voice but also caring and good hearted. These two journeyed with me for 4 years and i have watched them transform from good to outstanding. This year when given a solo, the sister was free in gift to improvise and add her color to the song making it her own. More than that her own prayer life, which obviously gets stronger day by day, she is able to bring her heart and soul into it by meaning every word as she sings praise to her God! What a beautiful job God does when we chase Him. He transforms us into works of art! This young lady used to sing songs....now she prays them and because of this, her marvelous Carnegie Hall voice has the power to heal the broken....to bring people to God in a greater way than ever before. Oh how marvelous a work God is doing in her gifts.
Her brother also did something this year that warrants attention too. i had a last minute rehearsal for Christmas scheduled and needed him to come to support the tenor section which was weak. His exams and private life interfered with that not to mention he was under the weather. i promised him only a 40 min rehearsal. He put himself second and came. God allowed me to get it all done in 36 min. But what was more beautiful was when he sang his solo he had a freedom that was new too. He sang it as if chains were lifted from his vocal cords and hit notes we have not heard before. God took his generous heart...taking time from his important studies of medicine to support the weaker ones ...and freed him in a new way...he may not have ever tried to expand his potential vocally if he did not given away first.
i am greatly touched by these two younger members of my choir. The young lady gained over these years a new confidence in her gifts. She knows Who gave them to her. She chases God and in that He has brought the spiritual part of her and the gifted part of her together in a new way able to touch hearts and heal. So proud of her..the freedom and self-confidence and holiness...wow!! God does great work. But this kind of work takes time...patience...love and building one brick at a time with one another. We too often rush people and try to force what is not in God's timing.
And her brother?...i told him "watch how you do on your exams for God will reward you for putting your own needs aside to help others"....God already showed up in his new freedom in song...This is what makes great men...not the fact that he is the best at anything he puts his hands to, but someone who knows there is Someone Higher...and takes time to get to know Him and apply His Principles to his life even at a cost. And then they soar....
The message in this story is silent waiting....in building in one another... .prayer.... consistency.... humility (for these two voices did not have to limit themselves to be in our simple church choir).....surely a great singing group deserved them.
And so be patient with yourself...with those around you....love, pray...build up....encourage....And note that even the entire choir has grown in many ways. i love to see the results of God's creative ideas in transforming a life. It happens one person at a time. So although the numbers often make people feel good...1,000 in attendence....10,000 people....God's deep life changing interior work happens one person at a time. So never think that what you do on the small scale has no meaning. It is only there where true conversion, counsel, reinvention, and rebuilding the edifice one brick at a time can take place. Let God build/rebuild you....be helpful in building/rebuilding others....
One of my favorite Christian singers is David Phelps from the Gaither Band. His voice is phenomenal and like the young man and woman in my choir, it commands attention. But the reason it commands attention is not the musical ability he has by itself. This man loves Jesus Christ! He believes deeply in God and his personal prayer life affects everything he does. And so his music is "annointed" by God! (an expression i use when God pours out on someone)...and so as we prepare silently...for Christmas...let us do so differently than any other year. let us hush and slow down...cry and laugh....pray and and like Mary...'.keep all these things, reflectin on them in our hearts!' Sit back and pray this "O Holy Night" in a quiet room all by yourself with your God and appreciate the musical gifts, but more important the heart of David as he prays this song. til next time...let's ponder the Scriptures below....be assured of my continued prayers for you....Blessed, Holy, life changing Christmas to all of us! ang
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElJ0fiD0lkc
Luke 2:19
And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.
Luke 6:38
"Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you"
Psalm 127:1
Unless the LORD build the house, they labor in vain who build.
t
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