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| When Obedience Requires Sacrifice... |
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Since we have resigned our position at our last church, we found ourselves in a foreign city knowing nobody so you would think that the obvious thing to do would be to go home...or perhaps begin the look for a new position...but the Lord wasn't leading us to leave (He absolutely brought us here) and I don't do the resume thing. I take seriously that it is God who promotes so I figure that if He wants me somewhere, they will find me.
Anyways, in trying to find a home church and begin whatever is next, we were led to this church we attend now, 1st AG...nice place, nice people, and like 4 blocks away. In speaking with the pastor, there are several things this historical church is in need of and we will have a big part in that...but that is another story. We were asked to come on as advisers for the youth pastor (relatively new but doing real good and definitely anointed). In doing so we discovered he had no musicians so no music in his youth group...well that is what me and Yuci do so we offered to minister for his group occassionally as time permits and if I am not somewhere else. Understand, we were asked by several local churches to do the same but didn't feel right about it. So we started and have not missed a service since...the kids have taken real well to us in the role we are serving and...well it has been fun.
But yesterday, I was painting a house about an hour away and was real exhausted after helping host the Shane and Shane concert...I was on a pretty rough timeline as well. I painted the whole house that day and it was late getting out. Even if I was to have gone straight to church, I would have been 15 minutes late so I called my wife and she agreed I needed the rest and I should cancel tonight. She was sick (pregant and very naucious) and felt I should rest as was she. So I tried to call the youth pastor and tell him I was not going to make it. He was cool with it...dissappointed but cool...and I was relieved. I really needed the rest.
Well that is when the Holy Spirit began to deal with me. I began to have this urgency that I needed to go and minister. I was really not in the mood for music, I love music but it is my life. If I so choose to do something, I merely walk into my own studio and play whatever I want whenever I want. This was not that...this was God telling me I was needed and He wanted me there. So I called Yuci to tell her...it was immediately obvious that God was not dealing with her in the same manner...so I called Adam (youth pastor) and said I would be there, but I would be a half hour late. They were waiting on me when I got there...
Usually, we do this big loud electic guitars lights thing but tonight, I grabbed my acoustic, plugged in, me and John (singer) sat on stools and began to minister. Since I had no time to prepare a powerpoint, I was planning singing older songs that I was sure everyone knew. Trading My Sorrows (old Darrel Evans song) and a remdidtion of I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever. But Maury (a youth) began to pray for the needs requested of those there, the environment quickly changed into an intimate really tender desire to be in God's presence and this group of about 30 - 40 normally calm and collective teens was of one mind worshipping God and just loving on Him.
The song list changed quickly to my version of Shane and Shane's Yearn (excellent song) and we went from there. Adam preached this powerful word on really selling out ot God and going farther than just being a witness standing in the door watching...the teens responded with just an awesome outpouring...we were playing My Heart Your Home (another older song) and then shifted into Your Love is Extravagant (Darrel Evans) and the room was just filled witha touchable presence...the kids were loving on eachother and prayeing with eachother (all in order nothing out of line) and this went on for hours. There were about 10 teens that showd up that night which I had never seen in about the 3 months we have been there but the others knew well...well they were ministered to ALL night. The presence was so rich...so resting and peaceful b/c i was seriously exhausted.
And just as the need to shift was obvious...God's hand led us to end the service...and we just quietly walked out and went home...in perfect peace.
The moral...we often say things in the church like "God doesn't need us to get a job done" in order to motivate people to step forward on their own...but without taking from the awesome power of God to do what He wishes when He wishes, He does need us to do things. He needs us to be obedient to His will, His desire...b/c we need in ourselves to know that awesome blessing of what obedience yeilds...it yeilds life and healing and hope in others that we ourselves should have cemented in God. B/C I was obedient last night, a group of teens was ushered into an intimate presence that otherwise would probably not have happened, and even if it had, I would have missed out on being a part of that and frankly seeing that and being there ministered to me as well.
I know this is a long one, but I had to put it to pen. To obey is better than sacrifice is well noted...and sometimes obedience itself requires sacrificing personal agendas and desires...sometimes its easy...especially when it lines up with what you want to do anyways. But when obedience requires sacrifice, it makes the instances when obeying was easy special. It is kind of a self-check that allows one to really determine if he is doing unto the Lord, or just doing unto self. I love music and rarely hesitate at the chance to minister in that capacity...but last night allowed me to remind myself that I am ministering and not merely performing. |
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| Thanks for putting this to "pen" Patrick. I always deeply appreciate reading about brothers/sisters walking in obedience to God. Not only do I draw inspiration, but it reinforces and teaches what it looks like to walk with God. God bless you!! ~mike |
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| Hey Mike, yeah, I figure this one is a little too long to read...but I felt like I should write it. Thnks for your comment...always good to see you round here |
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Coreena |
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February 28, 2008 at 5:18pm |
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Great blog, Patrick. It is a call to arms:
If not now, then when?
If not here, then where?
If not me, then who?
We forget that God does need us to get the job done. We are the BODY of Christ here on this earth. He can do nothing without a BODY!
Thank you so much for writing this!! It inspires me to keep on keepin' on! Soooooo worth the read!
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JayKTX |
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February 28, 2008 at 5:31pm |
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Thank you for sharing this. As I read it I wondered if the sweetness of his presence would have been as rich if you had gone rested and "up." I think you are saying not - is that right? It seems something about the sacrifice released a fragrance that would not otherwise have been there. (I had a similar experience last week.) |
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Thanks Coreena...I like the call to arms statement. Well said.
Jay, that is exactly what I am saying. Some time ago I taught on music and its application in hte church specifically from a musicians standpoint concerning worship. If the key ingredient to worship is service, how then is a musician's performance defined as worship if it is something he (or she) loves to do. To answer that the conclusion must first be drawn that in serving one can still enjoy. But specifically for a musician, to validate the love and desire to perform as service hence worship, the heart and motives of the musician is drawn into the matter...
Can you peacefully perform in unfavorable conditions? Can you perform your heart out to songs you would not necessarily enjoy (musically speaking) and the biggest Are you available and flexible...or is God restricted to your agenda?
I think for those of us professionals, God allows these total random moments of inertia (musically speaking of course)... though I have no idea what that phrase I just used means... to allow us to "test ourselves" to see where we really are. I truly believe that if all had factored the way I would have desired, last night's turnout would have been totally altered. |
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Gene |
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February 29, 2008 at 4:20pm |
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Great blog, Patrick.
I agree wholeheartedly. It's a challenge to find the right amount of motivation by announcing the awesome power of God and also the need for us to step forward to be the hands and feet. And there is no more effective way to communicate this than through music. |
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Cheryl |
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February 29, 2008 at 4:26pm |
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| Patrick, again awesome blog! thanks for letting God use you. Hope your sweetie is doing well! Love ya guys~ |
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Gene, it is always good to hear from you...thank you for your response...and we His hands and feet!
Cheryl, thank you and feel free to pop to her page and introduce yourself |
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| Great lesson...one we need to learn every day, I think. |
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| Everyday DC...haven't learned it too well yet but I am trying |
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