Have you ever been at church doing the tech thing and witnessed something that was so incredible that it made you wonder if there were hidden cameras involved? This past week I was treated to the opportunity to witness God's ability to provide needed resources, from the most unlikely of places, in the most unlikely timing. And as usual, it was really cool to see Him work.
Over the past year or so, due to the ebbs and flows of life, our church has lost a number of its drummers. In general we have been very successful in making sense of the schedule, but the latest loss increased the challenge and has led to more acoustic services than we had been planning for. As many of you will understand, good drummers are like gold. Finding one that is able to slide into a worship setting, play to a click, and serve the moment is a very praise worthy event.
Enter John. John is relatively new to our church. He found us, and ultimately Christ, after watching some of our video podcasts online. (That alone is an inspiration to all of us tech types.) John, while being smallish in stature, is huge in presence and personality. He is an incredibly creative person, with a dry wit, and a comprehensive background in theater. His experiences range from acting to writing and directing. John now leads our church's theatrical group, authoring much of their material while both inspiring and educating them with his leadership.
Due to John's engagement in our drama efforts and his passion for it, it was a bit unexpected when he suggested that he had some experience with a drum kit and that he might be able to help fill some empty spots on the schedule. Who would have guessed that John had played in a band some twenty years prior? Not one to pass up an opportunity, and after listening to an old recording of John's band, our worship pastor put John on the schedule for a service.
Fast forward one week and I am at Thursday night rehearsal with the band preparing for weekend services. John was nervous for his first rehearsal having not played for such a long time. To prepare, he had taken himself to the ‘woodshed' for a few days to knock off as much of the decades-old rust as he could and to get some experience playing with a click track. I wasn't really sure what to expect. Truthfully, I don't think anyone, including John, knew what to expect.
Then it happened.
John counted off three beats for the first song of that practice and God did something cool. Without much fan fair, without any expectation of excellence, and without any clue as to how this was going to turn out, John crushed it. I think for that whole first song I just stood there and watched John bring a talent and skill into service that not only did we not know that he had, but one that he didn't know he could pick up again in such a short period of time. The set that week was challenging with a mix of quiet praise and high-energy worship. Throughout all of it John kept the band on point rhythmically while gracefully building trust with the musicians around him. At the end of the weekend I couldn't help but ask when John was scheduled to play again because I intended to be there.
All of us at some point have had lessons that teach us to not underestimate what God is able to do with our talents and with our will to serve Him. But I believe that there is a corollary to that lesson in that we need to make sure we don't underestimate the timeliness in which God can use us. It's very easy for us to consider that we are not yet ready to serve in a new capacity or that we are not yet mature enough in some skill to be useful. However, if God is able to create us and place into us the desire and heart for service, surely He is also able to bring forth out of us the ability to serve when He needs us.
John, when hearing of the need, could have just as easily kept quiet and not offered his service because it had been so long since he had played and because it would have taken too long to get back into the saddle. But he didn't do that. Rather, John stepped forward and asked if he could help. In that act of faith, God answered with a resounding ‘Yes' and used John in His timing.
When Jesus first called his disciples He called them to service and they responded, immediately:
“And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” Matthew 4:18-20
Simon and Andrew were simple fisherman, yet when called, they responded as soon as the opportunity presented itself, without waiting or considering what their own timing might be. Resulting from their response was the foundation of a group known as the disciples, the group of men that Christ ultimately charged with taking the gospel to all nations.
The next time we are presented with an opportunity to serve let's make sure we consider how we can say “Yes” now, rather than considering how we can say “Yes” tomorrow.
