I SAW THE BEST IN ACTION!

“Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power, your right hand.” (Exodus 15:6a ESV)

Orchestra conductors may look like they have an easier ride, not having to master any fiendish passages of finger-work like the violinists or risk the exposure and split notes of the wind and brass players. However, in an article published by BBC, Pierre Boulez, a legendary composer-conductor is quoted as saying, “Conducting is more difficult than playing a single instrument. You have to know the culture, know the score, and to project what you want to hear.”

Until the last two weeks, I had not been presented with the opportunity to see the greatest orchestras and their world-renown conductors in action. I pretty much was only exposed to orchestras and their maestros performing when our elementary class went on an annual field trip to the state fairgrounds to see our city’s biggest symphony orchestra. But these past two Sundays, I was blessed to see the best conductor, greater than any other on earth, the best ever in action at my church! Yes, at the church where I pastor. The conductor showed no difficulty in connecting note after note, delightful words for the ears of those listening. His moving, well, it was divine and easy to detect. He knew the culture of those witnessing his work and he projected a message, linking together every element through a symphony the first week where he showed that small if often the solution when God is involved and that our indoctrination of desiring bigness keeps us from seeing our blessing and from being a blessing. The next week, this incomparable conductor presented an arrangement called “The Order Of Worship.”

He tied perfectly together a dialogue between what he had communicated the previous week and what he had composed for that specific day, using every component. Let me explain. He started by bringing in a stimulating, sensitizing, soul-stimulating prayer and followed that with a sacred outpouring that came in the form of the opening scripture which was read of emphatically that you recognized a Spirit-filled element. The conductor was not done yet. Only he knew where he was going and what he wanted to specifically project as the arrangement went on. You see, next, there was an injection of a musical interlude featuring the piano, accompanied by a bass player extraordinaire who not only played bass, but played the drums as the voices in the audience sang, “Lead Me, Guide Me.”  Next, the conductor, orchestrating a purposeful conversation sent from heaven to earth, stopped the music to allow for a teaching moment where the theme was biblically based, “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Are you seeing the conductor’s ability to knit together his work? Do you see the connection of this demonstration of conductor expertise? The message so far was, “If you want to be led in life, let God do the leading, and realize that God has plans for you, so don’t worry about your journey, regardless if you even have small means. Just have faith.” The conductor continued linking things together, transitioning from one segment of “The Order of Worship” to another. The crescendo came when the musicians were dismissed. However, the conductor was not done. He brought the audience to their feet with a swelling presentation of “Das Far,” projecting the truth that the Lord has not brought us this far to leave us. Spirits were lifted, souls were strengthened, as the specific message traveled through a mandatory stop at Calvary, at the old rugged cross. The singing was started up during an invitation to Christian discipleship, as the classical trained pianist under his influence played another song. Still, the best conductor ever was not finished!

There was a pause for prayer, perhaps similar to the musical “Selah” technique used by those inspired by God to write the Psalms in our bibles. The prayer reminded us, among other things, to personally stop looking at what we have and where we are going, but to keep going past “Das Far,” moving forward, climbing upward by faith and not by sight, and to sustain the momentum. Afterwards, a surprise, unscheduled solo was rendered. Don’t miss this! The conductor was still communicating a masterful dialogue. The solo was connected to “Das Far,” as a member who could testify to the words she expressed with sure sincerity, “The Lord Would Make a Way Somehow.”

One might have thought the best conductor ever was finally finished. But no! Just as the most prominent conductor on stage might add a couple of unplanned notes in other orchestras, following the benediction, the final blessing in “The Order of Worship” arrangement, the conductor used a toddler, a child, to convey the meaning of the benediction that perhaps some in the audience did not understand. The toddler simply repeated one word twice in a loud emphatic tone, “Bye!” “Bye!”

Was he – the best conductor ever, done? By no means was he finished! He continued to work on each individual in attendance as they left the venue. I am sure his conducting will continue far into the future. Those in attendance at my church and those who saw the conductor knit together a dialogue between His throne in heaven and their respective church, are still in awe of His work, His word, and His way of conducting! Yes, even though I did not capitalize all the times I referred to Him in this meditation, as I normally would have respectfully done, you still figured it out, right? The conductor is God! Follow His leading today! Oh, by the way, He will be conducting in the same auditoriums, same churches next Sunday!  Go and behold The Maestro and hear His masterful presentation, specific for that gathering! Be blessed!

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

Committed to the climb,

Mark L. King