It's so amazing how You work, Lord - how You make all things work together for good for those who love You and are called according to Your purpose - how You prepared little David "in a hidden valley just over the hills" to shepherd Your people, Israel - how You set Joseph apart, even though it was painful, so that you can use him to save Your people again from famine.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I will be doing what I am doing now for your people, but it's amazing to see how the dots connect from my childhood up to now. I was eleven when You called me to ministry. You used the Abad family to gather a bunch of ragtag kids like myself and train us to become worship leaders. Who would have known? I remember how we never started a rehearsal without reading Your word and praying, a lot. Then, whenever we would go to perform anywhere, on the way, we would always cover the whole event in prayer - we prayed about everything: the weather, the people, the sound system, the preacher, the driver, the snacks, our voices, and even our hearts. As a kid, I remember just going through the motions just because I was told to. But unbeknownst to me then, my spiritual muscles were being strengthened, my dependence on You was being set in place.
I realized those "Abadian-fruits" again yesterday, on our way to Warsaw, Texas to lead worship. Instead of talking about whatever on our 52 mile drive to First Baptist of Warsaw, I began to pray with my buddy, Martin O. We took turns praying about everything from the sound cables, bad drivers, the weather, Walter on his Harley, our hearts, the people whom we were leading, for unity and harmony, for the set up of the sound system, our people from getting lost, and on and on.
Then we saw Your mighty hand at work. Right after we prayed, Jeeka called to say that they were lost. You worked it out that we were able to meet up with them at the Cotton Gin just in time. Then the College kids got lost, but You brought them to the Church in time for the big feast, and by that I mean BIG! And boy, was it GOOOOOD! Then I was able to visit with Brother Russ Frazier who's been everywhere where two feet can travel training Church leaders through Joshua Nation and YWAM. If it's in Your will, I would love to work with him someday. After the feast, it was time to set up the equipment. We had to do it fast, too, because the program was already going on. You putting us at the hotel really helped out a lot in this one. The whole team just knew what to do: setting up their own instruments, mics, and cables. We were set in no time at all. Ate Jamin and Edwin were so awesome as a our leaders on that one. Then the worship began.
Lord, I thank You for Your Word that grounds me when I am at a loss about what to do when leading worship. I began by reminding all of us about Psalm 34:1, " I will bless the Lord at all times, and His praise shall continually be in my mouth." Even in spite of my wrong use of idiomatic expressions, Your Spirit was able to cut through the barriers.
Here are some moments that not even Carnegie Hall can produce - only "deeper magic" (C.S. Lewis, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe) can make this happen:
As we began to sing, "Yeah, yeah", of "Because of Your Love" (Paul Baloche), a toddler held by a lady began began moving his mouth as if singing, "Yeah", as he bobbed up and down in excitement. That was probably the only word he can say throughout the whole service. Out of the mouth of babes.
Then, I remember feeling a strong "drive" from behind me - it was Your rhythm section, Lord: with Francis on the bass, Walter on drums, and Anthony's addition of rhythm guitar. They held the rhythmic structure for the whole experience from the explosive start, to the those tender moments like in "Still" and "Footsteps of Jesus". These guys brought us to different landscapes with their ever changing grooves from techno to grunge, from hip hop to emo, and sometimes an unexpected ska in the middle of the songs.
But what's a strong structure without the beautiful architectural design. Then comes Your colors, Lord: Kuya Flor on lead guitar and Ronnie on percussion. Whenever I hear Kuya Flor's haunting guitar melodies, I just close my eyes, and let it melt in my mouth, but watch out - this guy can bring the grunge at a moments notice. Then Ronnie, with his arsenal of story-making-gadgets, brings those unexpected turns and twists in Your songs. I felt the chills when as we sang, "This is the air I breathe.", I heard a rattle as if a blowing wind rattling the leaves of trees in a gentle hush.
Then, there were Your singers, Lord, armed with Your Words and full force in declaring the truth, and unashamed. The tenors, Tony and Rome, were able to provide a strong foundation for the treble voices. I love it when they go down to the low and tender parts of their range like when they sing, "I'll follow Him into deep waters," and then deliver those piercing high notes that wrench the heart as only tenors can, as they sing, "I have decided to follow Jesus." and "And His glory towers over the earth and the heavens." What handlers of the Truth, Lord. I guess that's why You created tenor voices.
Then the altos, the cerebral, surreptitious and negotiating middle children. I love it, Lord, how You have created and designed the heart of your altos. They neither have the punch that tenors have, nor the glory of the towering sopranos, but they really hold the harmonies together. They are right there in the middle of the layering of voices negotiating and endlessly adjusting that often hard to hear and manage middle part - too much, and they clog the arteries, and too little, will cause an anemic texture, but when done right, all of a sudden the harmony glows; it becomes radioactive. Thanks for blessing us with three whose hearts are just made to sing alto, Ate Beth, Anna and Louella. I cannot point out a particular part that shone as I did for the tenors, Lord - and that means that they did their part well - stealthy, but RADIOACTIVE.
Then at last, there are your sopranos: Jamin, Ging, Joann, Grace and Jeeka - the ones who are brave enough to take us to the abyss and the stratospheres only to bring us the melody. Take them away, and we basically do not have a song. They have been given the power to bedazzle, and that, many in this world have done only to be worshipped as Divas. But the ones You chose for Heights, Lord, are different. Given the gift to bedazzle, they do it as flowers girls would on a wedding day, or as trumpeters playing a fanfare heralding the arrival of the King. They are mostly the first ones on the floor hooking up microphones and disassembling equipment.
Lord, I also thank You for the ones who had to work that day. I know they really wanted to be there with us but You had other assignments for them that day like Eric, Denrick, Marvin, Ricky and Jon. I also thank You for Christian who's always there when we need him to fill in for bass. I love it when Deacon Ricky blessed us on our way to Warsaw.
I also thank You, Lord, for our families and friends, from ate Baby to little Kai who inspire us to make beautiful music for You. Thank You, Lord, for making all things work together for good. One of the ladies at Pastor Weaver's church told me with a chuckle after the program, "These Homecomings just keeps getting "gooder" and "gooder".
