Just during the week leading up to Easter, my family and I went to a Christian concert in Baulkham Hills, about 2 or so hours from university. As we drove out to the venue to see MercyMe, Michael W. Smith and Ernie Haase and the Signature Sound play their concert; I could tell that the experience was going to be like no other, knowing that prolific Christian artists MercyMe was coming to Australia for the first time, and that Michael W. Smith’s last time to Australia was during 2005. As the lights dimmed and the concert started, I was caught up in the whole atmosphere of it, and as the concert continued and finished at 11:15pm, I started to think about how the concert was, and its good and bad points. Michael W. Smith’s set was the best, singing his worship hits and older tunes as he managed to still energise the crowd, especially when he was jumping up and down during the dynamic and uplifting ‘The River is Rising’. Even though he is indeed turning 55 in October, I can definitely see him going on for the next ten years, provided that he keeps reinventing himself towards the younger generation, without compromising his sound that he has had his whole career.
There was a special moment that occurred towards the end of Michael’s set. As he finished his song ‘Take Me Over’, he went off stage as the music kept playing. Everyone started to spontaneously sing ‘Agnus Dei’, one of his most famous songs. It was a total God moment, and the Holy Spirit was definitely there in the room as everyone corporately worshipped the Lord. The song could’ve gone on for a while, and Michael could’ve come back for an encore performance, but during the song, the Compassion International ad started to play on the screen. Why did that happen? Surely the operator who was controlling that aspect should’ve thought, ‘Gee, there is a moment here that I don’t want to disturb…’ Perhaps it was on timer, perhaps not, but looking back on it, there was a moment there that was disturbed. But sometimes I can get a little upset about something that when I look back on hindsight, it is not worth it to. If I started to worry, there would be a very long list about what happened on that night. The sound throughout the whole night was scratchy and loud. There were blinding lights, almost like a concert and show rather than a worship experience. MercyMe came up on stage and played their set without keyboardist Jim Bryson without giving any explanation as to where he was or why he wasn’t there. And Ernie Haase’s set went, in my opinion, a tad too long, going for just as long as Michael’s and MercyMe’s set, even though it was my belief that Ernie Haase was support for the other two.
I can sit back and look at my long list of things wrong with the night of worship, and complain and say ‘Well, Michael didn’t sing This is Your Time’, or ‘the t-shirts and cds were too expensive’; but I know that the bible never tells us to live like that. We should look at the whole situation, and be thankful. It was a once in a lifetime chance to see Michael W. Smith and MercyMe in concert, and I am totally happy that I did go. Rather than finding fault, we should just enjoy the moment, and live like how Christ lived. So what if the music was loud on the night? So what if there was a glitch in the Compassion Video-worship moment issue? What is at the heart of the issue that is before us? That we expect everything to go off without a hitch? That we want everything to be in a certain way and when it isn’t we decide to criticise and question?
We need to worry less and live more. Worry has scientifically been linked to many ailments and diseases, from high anxiety, panic, to emotional stress. The flight or fight responses in our body are triggered by excessive worry; causing the nervous system to release certain stress-related hormones which can increase sugar levels. With excessive worry, physical effects and reactions could manifest through dizziness, headaches, nausea, even shortness of breath and an inability to concentrate. Worrying results in physical symptoms and reactions. But the bible also commanded us not to worry. We are met with Jesus in the beginning of Matthew, speaking to thousands of people about this very topic. As Jesus explained to these people, ‘…If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds…’ (Matthew 6:25-26).
We are worth more than anything to God. That is why He takes all the care that He does to looking after His children, giving gifts and showing signs to point us along the path that He is wanting for us. We need to believe how much we are worth to God so that we will stop worrying about our lives and start worshipping the God who has captured our hearts. Britt Nicole’s recent song ‘Gold’; speaks of how we shouldn’t be afraid to claim who we are in Christ, because we know that our identity isn’t tied up in worry, stress, achievements, whether a concert goes smoothly, but who we are and who we will be is based upon what Christ did for us. We’re worth more than gold, and we really should take this encouragement and run with it. As I reflect on the concert during Easter, I am amazed about how there were little reminders through both Michael and Bart (lead singer of MercyMe) and how they conveyed through mini-sermons’ that God is personable, and that He loves us, but not only that, He loves to hang out with us. He is God, and even if nothing happened for the rest of our lives, even if He stopped answering every prayer, He will still be God and He will still be worthy of our praise. He holds everything in His hands, and though there are moments in our life when we coming across hardship and calamity; God is still there in the midst of it, saying ‘I am here to be your way out!’.
But sometimes in these moments of hurt and despair, we may find it difficult to hear His voice. We may struggle with hurt; and question whether the healer even has a plan for us, coming out of this mess. But herein lies the notion that even though if God told us why; why this happened or that happened, things won’t hurt any less. It is a struggle, but God is always there to be with us, and during these moments when the Hurt and the Healer collide, God is standing there right with us saying, ‘you are precious to me, and I will use your situation to build you up, to strengthen your relationship with me, because I believe you are worth me coming down to earth to die for you!’. You are worth more than GOLD! Time to start believing it, and know that the Healer is always with us, ‘...to the very end of the age…’ (Matthew 28:20).
As I finish off this, let me ask you a question. Do you often worry, like me? Read through the promises of God and what He has spoken over your life. He is always faithful!
Til next blog;
Jon.
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