We Asked for Wonder

 

As is my routine on Sunday mornings I open the church and then go down to my office to spend some time gathering thoughts and prayers and making final preparations for the service. As is her routine our organist Sherry arrives, I hear her get her vestments, and then the initial tones of the organ waft. I find great peace as I listen to her practice and true confession that in the closed office I sing very very loud! It feels so liberating!

Well, this meditation is about another ordinary Sunday morning which turned extraordinary as I listened closely. Sherry has been adapting some hymns in her prelude and postlude and playing others in the middle of the service for our meditation as we are not allowed to sing in these Covid times.

She began with Hear I Am Lord which I love but was not in the program. I thought perhaps she is practicing for next week (when it is also not in the program). I love the hymn and allowed a tear to fall. Then I realized she was moving right into the noted hymn Worship the King and I wondered whether it was intentional. 

It was. 

As I sat now in the sanctuary and heard this improvised juncture I thought of course ( or as my granddaughter says acourse!) We show up and offer ourselves and worship the God of grace and glory. Holy imagination!

But my reflection doesn’t stop there...

What happened in the prelude, what should happen in any prelude, is the attention had been focused in a creative way so that all the other music simply meant more and I found myself in a state of wonder which is after all what we ask for.

I probably should have remained speechless after the postlude which was one of the most genuine passionate exquisite offerings of O God Our Help In Ages Past but instead I shakily said AMEN and offered a sending.

As I did so I realized we had shown up and allowed music to pray through us with God’s help and Sherry’s. Her devotion and love of her vocation had led us, guided us and inspired us. 

In these difficult times when so many things are different, some improvisations are thoughtful and visionary. I give thanks. Well done good and faithful servant!