I recently had some words I believe God gave me to encourage the church at Brookside. God has created us all with a “song” we are made to “sing.” He has made us all with unique and valuable gifts that need careful nurture, encouragement and development. Sometimes our song can be buried so deeply inside us, it needs careful ‘mining’ or excavation to draw it out.
Just as with a choir, orchestra, band or other musical collectives, when our song is positioned among other complimentary sounds, the effect can be remarkable and beautiful to hear. When such harmony is performed it can be such a deep and emotional experience for both the performer and the listener.
The question is, are you singing your song?
There can be many reasons we don’t sing our song. Perhaps we have never been affirmed or loved enough to realise that we have such a valuable contribution to make? Maybe we have just not found the right environment for our song to be heard? Possibly we have found ourselves singing someone else’s song and never really connected with what we have found ourselves singing? The reasons continue.
God’s Word inspires me to see some important things about myself and all humanity:
- I am wonderfully made and known intimately by God (Psalm 139)
- I am made in God my Fathers image (Genesis 1:27)
- God has lavished His love on me (1 John 3:1)
- I am adopted into God’s family and am His child (Romans 8:15-17)
- I am God’s workmanship, created to do good works (Ephesians 2:10)
- God raises up weak and ‘foolish’ people (1 Corinthians 1:27-28)
Because all these things are true, an important part of my role as a church leader is to try to help cultivate an environment where everybody – no matter what personal history or background – can discover and sing their song, in harmony with others.
We are at an exciting place as a church and part of the church in Reading. God seems to be linking together and raising up smaller groups of people to sing in harmony together among specific people groups. Perhaps the goal of such groups should be to help people to find their ‘song’ and begin singing it, together with others?
I watched a moving and emotional video. This is part of Rob Bell’s Nooma series. Rhythm shows how God has been singing a song of redemption throughout all time and history. More than this, He invited us all to sing our song with Him, bringing alive the offer of complete redemption through His wonderful Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
The question is, are you singing your song?
Remarkably we can find ourselves singing in unimaginable places and among people we could never have dreamt of. Think about this, if we don’t sing our song how long might it be before the Holy Spirit can position another so that he or she will sing?
The really exciting thing is that the songs God is giving are bursting out of the walls of church buildings and into all society. I believe that one of the results of this will be amazing songs and symphonies being experienced in the church. This will be both literally through song, music and the arts AND figuratively through works and service of kindness among others where we live, work, study or specifically serve. Let’s get this orchestra on the road!
The answer is, as we each sing our song, the glory of God will be seen in all the earth. Can we really hold back?
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An informal gathering of people who are involved in some way with the arts and being creative (musicians, artists, actors, writers etc.).
The venue is Costa Coffee in Woodley on the 8th May, starting at 6pm, finishing at 8pm.
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