Singing Songs to Someone they've Ignored...

At the beginning of the month, I went to a choir concert three of the girls from the freshmen Bible Study were in. One of the perks of the job I suppose! It was in an older church downtown with a full sized organ and stained glass windows. I was very pleased to find out the majority of the songs, whether in English or not, referenced Christ and his life and birth so that Santa was not the focus.

The songs were sung beautifully and I couldn't help but think, 'some of these students have no idea what they are singing about!' They have no idea the implications Christ's birth, death and Resurrection has for them personally.

At our church's Christmas Eve service, the story was told of how renown Violinist Joshua Bell experimented for the Washington Post by playing his violin in a D.C. metro. People were interviewed who had simply passed him by saying there was nothing spectacular about the violinist that made them stop. People walked by unaware they were missing the opportunity to hear for free a skilled professional! Only at the end does one woman stop and recognize him.

How much more are people in the world seeing reflections of God's glory and love and still still don't stop and thus miss the opportunity of their lifetimes. By the tree had lyrics that I've always loved saying, "The whole world's looking for a sign...missing the ones in plain view."

Let's choose to stop and gaze in wonder and awe at who God is.

The Rainbow Road...

The Rainbow Road Track was always the most difficult for me when playing Mario Kart as a kid. It is so easy to fall off the edge and while you are focusing so much on every turn, you forget to remember what you just did as you'll have to come back and face it in another lap.

Yesterday driving back to Tempe from Long Beach, it literally poured down raining for over half of the trip! The really neat thing though was as it went through waves every 10-15 min, I could spot a rainbow in between the clouds. Recently reading through the Old Testament again, I keep thinking back to God's promises and how Abraham was mentioned as a man unwavering in belief of God's promise to him being, "fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.(Rom 4)" So as I was driving, I was thinking back to God's rainbow he gave Noah as a symbol of his promise. So I saw rainbows all along my journey and was thinking about how God has moved at Long Beach this semester...

Sometimes I'm so caught up in God's promise I forget to remember it and observe how He is working(...I think the Israelites' had the same problem!) So I fall off of the Rainbow Road. But the promise continues on throughout the entire journey even when we feel like we are simply going in circles doing laps.

How cool is it that none of God's promises have to do with our ability, but God himself. 2 Timothy 2:13 says,
"if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself."

What a great thing to know we have a God who is faithful, loving, just, good, omnipotent, sovereign and holy. He gives us rainbows all along the way! Sometimes they are easier to see after a storm, but that makes us appreciate them and stand in awe all the more!

The Sound of Souls in Unison.

One of my friends in college used to make fun of me for how excited I got during worship song when the church congregation would sing the "la la's" together or even get to clap!

I love clapping in large groups and here's why...there is something about praising God together in those moments I cannot seem to get enough of. The clapping transcends backgrounds or languages or comparing your singing abilities with the person next to you, and simply lifts a unified song up to God.

I used to decide to not clap in making some sort of rebellious Charles Dalton type of move to exercise my right not too; but truly, I came to realize I was only depriving myself of being able to participate in communal worship that was not intended for me, but my Father.

So next time the worship leader encourages to clap, resist rolling your eyes and join along with your family. Let us praise God with clapping!

"Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.

How awesome is the LORD Most High,
the great King over all the earth! "

Psalm 47:1-2

NavPress Discount! Spread the word!

wanna help support my ministry in Long Beach? Need Christmas gifts? Order from Navpress.com and enter 23745918 in the coupon code box and save yourself 5% off of your order and donate 10% towards my ministry!

great way to spend 9 min...