On Plesiosaurus, Giant Squids & Worship

26May09

Our lives are measured out and rationed out in minutes. Minutes that are wasted and discarded. Minutes that are sacrificed daily in front of computer screens, iPhones and high-definition  television sets. Minutes that are murdered by laziness and boredom.

Minutes are easily forgotten as a new ones replace the old.

But moments….moments are lasting. They are stamped into our memory. Good or bad they are there. Moments are part of who we are. A first kiss, the first time you hold your child, hearing a loved one has died, all lasting moments.

Moments can be shared or private. Moments can be planned but some of the best ones are spontaneous.

The other morning my son woke up early. It was about five in the morning and he came in my room and asked me to go downstairs with him. Hoping that he would go back to sleep, I told him that we go could go camp out in his bunk bed together.

As we settled in he looked at me and said “this is going to be a good day because I am starting it with you dad.” I forgot about sleeping and decided to spend a moment with my son.

The conversation, as it often does, turned to talk of giant squids. It was early in the morning but as always I am in the mood for an in depth conversation about the mysteries of the deep. We talked about giant squid, the loch ness monster & champ which the Thompson household takes a firm stand in favor of the plesiosaurus theory.

I’m not sure why little kids feel they have to make up stuff to contribute to a conversation. Maybe it’s because they need to feel important. Maybe they want to feel like they have something to say as well. Something to add to the conversation. Maybe it’s because adults don’t listen enough. I don’t know.

But about ten minutes into the conversation came the first one. “My teacher said that they video taped a giant squid on a beach eating frogs.” Which anyone giant squid expert will tell you is simply not true- but being in a moment with my son I didn’t want to ruin it.

Another minute passed and another tall tale. I didn’t want to correct him. We were having such a great time; but I knew that there wasn’t a whale as big as five football fields that eats great white sharks by the mouthful.

The conversation turned to cheetahs. I am no cheetah expert but I knew this couldn’t be true: “They once recorded a cheetah going 250 miles an hour.” My heart sunk. Not because my son is terribly bad at lying but because it was ruining the moment.

I talked to him about lying and stretching the truth. The moment had passed.

As a Christ-follower I am convinced that I will spend eternity with my heavenly father. Not minutes. Not moments. Forever.

As a worship leader,  I’m constantly searching for moments. Moments in the presence of God. Moments that are transformational Moments where an entire congregation gets caught up in the glory of God. It’s an amazing thing; we praise God and He pours into us.

I don’t believe our walk with Christ should be based solely on moments. Too many of us Christ followers can become moment or experience-driven. Too many of us are searching for a moment with Jesus at the expense of all the minutes He has given us stewardship over.

God wants every minute. But there are times when He wants a moment with us. A time to speak to us, to refresh us, to correct us, to captivate us. He wants us.

I wonder if His heart sinks when I come to him full of sin and pride. When I come to Him in prayer with my own selfish agenda. When I confess Him with my lips but I still hold myself in the highest place.

I wonder if His heart breaks because He wants a moment with me and I am ruining it.
kevin.

Advertisement

Filed under: Uncategorized, worship leaders, Worship Music   |  2 Comments
Tags: moments with God, worship, worship leader