At my church, the Sunday before all of the students go home for winter break is usually a big kind of deal. Last year (and I think for a few years) they had a big wind ensemble with the band.
This year, however, my dreams came true and we have 8 total vocalists who will be leading worship (as opposed to the usual 2 or 3). I am pumped, to say the very least.
Since we have never sung together before, and for most of them there were several new songs, we spent about an hour rehearsing the songs to be sung. I had chills most of the time, and was pretty much elated by the time we finished the rehearsal.
After the vocal rehearsal, I stuck around to lead the songs for the band rehearsal and really, just wow. The band sounded great, and the other worship leader and I know exactly how wonderful the vocals are going to sound.
I mean, we are going to be lifting up God's name and calling people into worship, ministering to God on a new level for this church, on Sunday. It is going to be GREAT!
On the drive home, I was contemplating how great this is going to be. This thought soon morphed into...
Wow. I just got back from almost 3 hours of rehearsal for a Sunday morning worship service. How AMAZING is it that we get to worship God freely and experience this kind of community?
I'm not necessarily talking about the community we experience on Sunday mornings in worship, but the one where we had 3 hours of free time to go and worship God, and work out the details so that on a Sunday morning, we can offer our best in worship to and ministering to God? Where we can spend three hours preparing the throne for our King? I've thanked God for the freedom to worship Him before, but I've never understood it as clearly as I do right now.
Wow. What a blessing. I mean, WHAT a GIFT. Praise you, God. Thank you, God. I know this is not something that everyone has access to, and ... wow, far be it for me not to revel in gratitude to our LORD for what He has given to us.
I am so thankful.
We are singing a song this week called "God With Us," by All Sons & Daughters. I've been excited about this song since I first heard it months ago. We introduced it to the congregation last week, and the air was electrified by the presence of God. I am full with expectation of what can happen with the presence of God this Sunday, as 8 vocalists take on the honor of ministering to God from the platform.
The song "God With Us" is a particularly awesome song as it recounts the reasons God sent His Son, Jesus, down to earth to be, Immanuel, God with us. And praises Him for it: "Our Deliverer, You are Savior. In Your presence, we find our strength. Over everything, our Redemption, God with us."
I have sung two songs (You're Here & You Are On Our Side) recently that both say, essentially the same thing: You could have left us on our own, but You're here. You could have left us here. You could have just been silent and left us here to die, but you still sent Your Son for us, and You are on our side.
To me, that is why we celebrate Immanuel, God with us.
And singing to Him is sweet.
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