Joy and Strength (Christian life and music)

Think about it.  David danced wildly for the Lord in broad daylight, in public.  He was crazy about God.  His devotion for God was off the charts.  We know this not just through His glorious, raw, real, and even vindictive Psalms, but because God Himself tells us so.  David was a man after God's own heart. David wanted God. Another example of David's antics - he actually pretended to be insane!   "'So he [David] pretended to be insane in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.  Achish said to his servants, “Look at the man! He is insane!'"  I Samuel 21:13-14 David was afraid for his life because King Achish was out to get him.  People do crazy things when they think their life is at stake. Some of David's Psalms are a bit mad, too.  Boy, did he want his enemies pulverized!  And he minced no words in letting God know how he felt and how he wanted God

The last concrete "to do" I received from the Lord was about two years ago.  "Write a blog." That's all He needed to say - I was on it! But there are times and seasons for everything.  And lately, what once came so easily for me - only because God was in it to enable and empower me - is starting to become stale to me. Every day, as I sat down to write these blog entries, I never knew what I was going to write about.  I simply started typing and the words came to me.  This is how I know it was a God thing. I don't even consider myself a "real" writer.  It is simply something I enjoy doing.  There are those who are far better at it than I. My training was in music.  All my life, practicing the piano, or later in life writing songs, or singing, or what have you.  But God moves in us and changes our desires for His purposes, His seasons for us.  We need to be willing to listen, trust, and obey Him. And I was willing to go on forever writing this blog f

So I interviewed for a music director position at a church a few years ago.  There were about seven people on the "committee" to decide my fate.   I sat at the piano and sang one of my worship songs as part of the "audition."  When the song ended. they applauded.  I was shocked.  I wasn't expecting their response.  I didn't want that response.  In my mind, they missed the point.   I wanted to lead them in worship of Jesus.  I did not want their applause.  I wanted their eyes on God, not on me or my talent. And that, folks, about sums up my lifelong desire to serve God in His church and how it never turns out the way I think it should. I've been told that God's anointing is strong on me when I sing.  I've been told this many times over for decades.  That simply means that His Presence fills the room when I sing to Him.  He comes in response to my heart of worship.  He picks and chooses whom He anoints.  I never asked for it. Now you'd think th