Grace for the choir conductor

Several months ago, my choir was invited to perform at a large conference involving delegates and leaders from different church denominations within Finland.  The MC had asked if she could interview me before we sang.  I assumed she was going to ask me questions about the choir or about our repertoire and was somewhat taken aback when she began with, ¨the theme for our weekend is grace.  I would like to know -- what is grace for you, as a choir director? ¨

Although my initial reaction was one of surprise, I knew immediately the question was a good one.  However, coming up with an appropriate answer, on the spot in front of so many people, made me feel a bit jittery.  I decided to begin carefully, ¨grace is when all your singers turn up at the right time, to the right place, with the correct music and appropriate attire.¨  This answer garnered a few chuckles from both choir and audience, giving me courage to continue.  ¨Grace is also leading a group of individuals from different nations, who speak different languages, are different in age, but who as a group, have decisively come together to communicate and understand one another in order to create beautiful music.¨

I have continued to reflect on this question since the conference.  My choir is much like any group of people -- families, churches, clubs, organizations, colleagues on the job -- you name it. To be sure, there is a distinct difference in that this is a voluntary group and no one is forced to join if they don't want to; however, occasionally singers admit to me they didn't choose the choir -- they just felt called to be there.  This honest admittance, often said in passing, has brought me to humility in my role as the director, since Finland is a nation rich in choral groups.  The truth is that we as a society have become more and more consumer oriented -- if you don't like your new smartphone, you can easily return it for another, and if the church you are attending isn't meeting your needs, why not try visiting the one down the street, or better yet, skip the inconvenience of getting dressed on a Sunday and instead listen to online sermons delivered by an eminent preacher, from the comfort of your own living room.  We have a hard time committing to things nowadays because there are a myriad of distractions and activities to choose from.

The consumer mentality however, often does not prioritize nor fully recognize grace.  Grace overlooks an abundance of imperfections.  If we choose to sit at home alone, we miss out on the opportunity to experience God's grace though interacting with others.  Grace gives us the strength to see past our differences so that we can lend a hand to our neighbour, build a church together, invite a refugee family for lunch, or travel to a foreign land with our choir to make beautiful music.  There is something very powerful that happens when a group of individuals sing together -- the intertwining of individual voices creates a fabric of glorious sound that, as Beethoven reminds us in the final movement of his Ninth Symphony, is reflective of our shared humanity -- humanity that would not exist if it were not for His grace.

The Lost Coin

It has been a few weeks since I could attend my current church (been traveling a lot), but I was really convicted by the message yesterday. The pastor preached on the parable of the lost coin and how one woman searched and searched until she found it. Historians believe this coin may have been her wedding dowry and so when she found it, she rejoices with friends and neighbours alike. 

Here is what bothers me -- we as believers are supposed to go after that lost coin. We are supposed to encourage one another to draw closer to the Lord, tell the world all about the love of Christ that we ourselves have experienced, and pray for those in need. 

For some reason, we don't do it.  Instead, we talk about our jobs, our families, even our church and our friends and our hobbies. I think part of the issue stems from false assumptions that we ourselves are imperfect and therefore incapable of really mirroring Christ's love to a world that really needs it.  Of course, this isn't true and we can absolutely be real and authentic even through our failures and imperfections.  Another reason for this apathy, at least in my case, is that we don't want people to think we are crazy or fanatical even though we know Jesus was pretty fanatical and He went through a lot of trouble to show His love for us, didn't He?

It is the week before Easter, a week where things slow down and most people (at least in my part of the world) have a few days of vacation, and therefore a good time for us to ask ourselves and each other -- do we truly understand what happened at the cross and the grace and love we have received?  Do we know where our peace comes from, and do we know where we are going if we were to die tomorrow?  It struck me again this morning that the only thing that gets us to heaven is our authentic relationship with the Lord and desire to follow Him totally -- not money, career, family ties, fame, and not even the talents He has given us here on earth will bring us eternal life.

And once we know where we are going, are we prepared to go after that one coin -- pray over it, light a candle, sweep away the dirt if we need to -- in order to bring that one person into the Kingdom of God?  

I have never been a missionary nor been good about sharing my faith, and suddenly, this Easter, my heart burns for the lost and for the prodigal sons and daughters out there. 

May this Easter be a time where we can examine our hearts and dare to do the things we are called to do.  May we be the ones who go after that single lost coin -- all for His glory.