I attended Show Me Hope, a benefit concert for Joplin last night. I expected to see The Word at Shaw's very own Harry Walls singing original songs with a group of fellow worship leaders from other Saint Louis area churches. I was not disappointed.
Spoiler alert-shameless cause plug: For those of you interested, you can purchase the original music online and should contact Harry Walls or speak to him after church, because he loves conversing with people, and also really, really wants to help the people of Joplin with the proceeds from this cd.
I expected to spend eight dollars of Scarborough money on a cd last night, and was not disappointed there either. I woke the house this am by blaring the song, Middle of it All. The volume was way past eleven, but the hour was too, so I have no guilt.
My kids expected it anyways, as I warned them last night that I was doing a musical alarm today.
So all things about and around the benefit concert were as expected both last night and this morning.
No wait. That isn't 100% correct. Because while we had planned to go to the concert, and I knew what I would be hearing-songs of hope, and from whom I would be hearing them-local worship leaders from several churches, I did not expect to be transported backwards to the frustration of my day by my friend Harry, before he even began to sing.
But God is so good. Harry shared last night just a little bit of how he and his wife Eva were feeling in their job search prior to coming to partner with us in ministry at The Word. He shared how he came to write the song, Middle of it All , around that same time, because he realized that in the middle of all our struggles and attempts to make our dreams happen, and efforts to play out career moves like pieces on a game board God is there. He is with us, and He is orchestrating His own plan for us in The Middle of it All.
Before Harry sang a note of the song he composed amidst his struggles, he acknowledged his aha-moment, which was the exact same aha-moment I needed to have last night. Never expected, but needed.
God is so good.
I had spent the day trying to slip the binds of red-tape between two higher learning institutions, praying that they would cooperate in the way I wanted so I could have things my way. Yes, I am guilty of thinking the world is my Burger King. I had shared with the World's Best Husband what I wanted to happen, and what obstacles stood between me and having higher education my way.
I was frustrated, kinda irritated with a particular department of one of these institutions, and looking quite forward to escaping thoughts of my life to listen to some really beautiful music. I knew that nothing more would be resolved after five pm, and I expected to feel somewhat grateful upon considering once again the blessing of a roof over my head, while I listened to music meant to give hope to those with no roof over theirs.
I never expected to get exactly what I needed from God, my aha-moment, through the words of a friend. But I did. This morning as I blared Harry's song, I had what I needed to move forward, seeking God's will for this aspect of my life which I had thought to manitain control over. You know, because God is busy, and I have given over all these other areas of my life and blah, blah, blah-list reasons we all use when we try to put God in a box-here.
I am so silly sometimes. But God is so good all the time.
In Genesis 14:18-20, Melchizedek who was the king of Salem and a priest, blessed Abram saying,
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High who has helped you conquer your enemies."
My understanding is that this is the first place in the Bible where we see God referred to as God Most High, more specifically, Sovereign God. (El Elyon in Hebrew).
Sovereign God. In other words, In charge of and with dominion over everything. Everything including me and my dreams and my future; including institutions of higher learning. God has dominion over red tape just as He had dominion over the enemies of Abram. Just as He had dominion over Harry and Eva's lives. I am so grateful that He brought them to our attention when we were prayerfully seeking a Worship Leader.
Many of you who attend the Word, volunteering at and through its' ministries, were also prayerfully sought by Pastor Keith and I. We knew God could and would bring those He chose to be our partners in ministry. We remembered that He had dominion, that He was and is El Elyon, The Lord Most High.
Now if I can just remember this for all the other areas of my life. I welcome your prayers, friends. Pray that I would not only recall God's sovereignty, but give myself over to it in more and more areas of my life. Pray that I will see His hand in my pursuits, and more importantly that I will see what He would have me pursue.
If recalling God's sovereignty is something you also struggle with, please share how you are doing with that in the comments section. This is a safe place to share our failings and successes, as well as encouragement.
Blessings-Lorilise
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