One of the things I love about music is the harmony that is made between instruments and voices. Each instrument and voice can sound great on their own, but when combined together in the same key the sound can evoke a multitude of emotions: sadness, joy, contemplation, suspense, and expectation.
I recently read a devotional from Tony Evans(author, speaker, preacher) and he talked about the beauty of music, especially at a symphony concert. He talked about how the music moves you, how it fills up the entire concert hall, and how it can be a truly memorable experience. The most intriguing thing that he talked about was the initial warm-up that takes place at the beginning of a concert.
Just before showtime you begin to hear a cacophony of sounds rise up from the musicians. It begins small with the bow of violin or cello, the sound is then joined by the saxophones, trumpets, and trombones, and soon it becomes something less than mesmerizing as each instrument is producing their own individual sound. It is like chaos to your ears, and you begin to wonder why you paid to listen to this orchestra.
However, once the conductor steps up in the center and calls the musicians to attention the tuning stops and silence fills the room. The air begins to fill with a sense that something unique and magical is about to happen. The moment the conductor begins to sway his arms the room erupts with a beautiful piece of music. What was just the sound of chaos blends into the sound of a symphony producing a breath-taking musical score.
This is a beautiful picture of what the Church is. We are all individuals with our own gifts, talents, and abilities. We are all individuals with different callings and passions. We are all individuals making our own way and our sound in this world. But once we encounter the Risen Son of God, Jesus Christ, our individual lives begin to blend into something the world can’t help but stop and notice.
The moment that Jesus begins to guide our hearts, minds, and lives His love begins to show in each of us. And when that love is poured out through His church the world begins to experience the same emotions as that of a symphony to a music lover.
Once we were separate from God, joining in with the noise of the world. Now we are one with God, combining our individuality with that of other believers to create a beautiful picture of what The Kingdom of God looks like: People of every race, color, language, and nation worshipping a great and loving God.
The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12: 12-13
How have you seen God create a melody in your church?
How can you join in with God’s Church, His symphony, and make an impact in your community?
