Practice is Worship

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17

It is mid-July, hot like most Texas summers, he hands us the music.  We take a look...laughing because who wants to sing Winter Wonderland and Sleigh Ride in the middle of summer.  He tells us his vision for the concert complete with trumpets... drums and guitars.  We listen to the music and set it aside.  A few weeks later practice begins and the music for Christmas is playing and I am thinking... this is waaaay to early to sing Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.  We have lots of time to practice...many months to go.  It is only August.

As we delve further into the music, it hits us.  This music is HARD.  The harmonies are tight, hard to hear, and we struggle.  By the third practice, we can do the first part of Jingle Bells... the easiest part of the entire song.  We complain and he smiles... encourages... tells us we will get it.

This goes on and on, practice, laugh at ourselves, complain.  My friend Jerri she looks at me at one point and says... "I don't think we can do this."  I shrug and wonder the same thing.  As we leave we get practice CD's and I drive home with new resolve to practice at home.  This is stretching most of us and still we press on.  For the first time in a while, preparing for this program is much more difficult than a couple of rehearsals.

Everyone joins together for the first time... shiny horns, bass guitar, those running lights and sounds and video.  The first run through seems really scary... by the second time harmonies fall together... soloists know where to begin... an unplugged microphone gets discovered.

We begin to put the sanctuary back together and I am excited... the practice paying off.  I hear others wondering how we sound... voicing concerns... and I think this will never be perfect and yet it is.  The practice has become an act of worship.

Six months devoted to music that stretches me... worship.
Hours listening, trying, wanting to give up... worship.
A leader with a vision... worship.

It didn't feel like worship but others will be blessed, and the coming together is a perfect picture of the body of Christ.

Stacy