This past week I was asked to provide some worship music for a large Lutheran convention at the Grand Wayne Center. Besides a few songs that a few friends and I led at the beginning, the service was very traditional. It’s been a few years since I’ve participated in a traditional worship service. Even though I grew up with liturgical worship, I have to admit that it was difficult for me to stay engaged when everything I was supposed to say or pray was already planned and printed.
Responsive readings were read. Hymns were sung. A passage from the Old Testament was read followed by one from the Epistles. Then it came time for the Gospel reading. The Pastor who was preaching that evening came up to read the account of the disciples encountering Jesus on the Road to Emmaus in Luke 24. As he began to share the account, the room of 700+ people became whisper-quiet. He spoke the Word of God with an authentic intensity & with passion. My heart was so moved by the way this Pastor spoke the Word. It was gripping my spirit. And it had grabbed the complete attention of the whole room. Click to continue »
A couple weeks ago Bethany and I took a vacation to Hawaii. In preparation for our trip I decided to get the finest pair of sunglasses that $5 could buy. They were kind of big and awkward, but for the price of a Value Meal at McDonald’s I can’t complain – or in Hawaii that would be the price of a small fry. Our little travel book told us that on the island of Oahu (where we were staying) we should check out the North Shore for some beautiful beaches. So one afternoon we jumped in our rental car and started the drive. The scenery was spectacular; the sun was shining, the water was sparkling and there were beautiful plants everywhere. As we were approaching the North Shore we drove up a hill that gave us a postcard view of the beach. It was breath taking. The colors were so rich and bright! Immediately I was in awe of how beautiful God’s creation is.
The woman written of in the gospels who anointed our Savior was just an ordinary woman. However, her expression of love is legendary.
We have a tradition at come2go that every year on Good Friday we show the movie “The Passion of the Christ”. Every time I’ve seen the movie, first in the theater and most recently just a few days ago, there’s one scene in particular that deeply moves me. Jesus is carrying His cross through the streets – bloodied & beaten. His Mother Mary finds a way to get close to Him and they get to spend a few moments together. In the midst of Jesus’ pain & Mary’s anguish, they exchange a few words. Right before Jesus gets up, takes His cross and continues his journey to Golgotha, He looks at His mother and says, “See, I make all things new”.
A few years ago I spent some time in Spain with a mission organization called YWAM. In preparation for going, some of us learned a play that portrayed the Gospel. There was no speaking; it was all mimed to music. Because I had the longest hair & the bluest eyes I was cast as Jesus. (I hope you see the humor in that). In Spain we performed this play on street corners, at parks and inside churches. One evening we were performing at a Gypsy church. The play was going very well and the people seemed to be responding to what they saw. We then came to a part in the play where Jesus, or me playing Jesus, began to be whipped. This was a very intense section and usually our audiences took on a solemn look during it; but not this night.