33 Miles did their whole set with just two microphones and one guitar. It was powerful. If you have time here's their song "one Life to Love:"
There's something incredibly powerful watching someone operate in the gifts God has given them and truly enjoying it at the same time.
I read this this morning:
"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there a re varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
I've read this passage 100s of times. Today though the word "effects" hit me.
What effect do I have on others?
What effect do you have?
According to this verse there is a variety of effects.
A few definitions of effect from the Yahoo! Education website:
"Something brought about by a cause or agent; a result.
- The power to produce an outcome or achieve a result; influence: The drug had an immediate effect on the pain. The government's action had no effect on the trade imbalance.
- A scientific law, hypothesis, or phenomenon: the photovoltaic effect . . .
- Something that produces a specific impression or supports a general design or intention"
The thing about producing an impression or being part of a design and intention is that we don't control any of that. That is something wholly done by God. We can do what we can,but those results are between God and others.
I always think that I just have to make sure I don't get in the way. I look like I do for a reason. God created me with my eyes, my hair, my specific body type, everything for a reason. When it comes to physical appearance I think of it as I should look good enough that I won't be a distraction but not too outrageous that all people see is me and Jesus is hidden because of my choices.
Same goes for behavior and whatnot.....we got to get out of the way and let Jesus be seen....
Last night I saw Jesus when Jason sang and Chris played. I mean, they were obviously there but they lost themselves in their music.
We gotta get to that point where we share what we do, share our gifts and talents where we are lost in them, we have no self awareness - -just a Jesus awareness and enjoying the experience and letting Him use us. We are totally Jesus-aware and others-aware (not self aware).
That is powerful.
Nerves can mess this up. So can lack of preparation, lack of practice and lack of prayer.
(As I write this out, the most important thing I am doing is being a resting place for my son Hawk. His head is on my shoulder and my right leg is in front of his body so he doesn't fall out of the chair we are sitting in together. He had a large seizure before I began typing and that makes him sleepy and loosy-goosy in his movements.
I digress, but one of the biggest questions i have for God that has yet to be answered is "Why does Hawk have seizures?")
Prior to the concert I asked Jason of 33 Miles how God gave him songs. I wasn't expecting him to give me one answer. I was sure God gave him songs in many different ways. What he said was that often he got songs while driving down the freeway. He'd get an idea and he'd sing it into his phone (or whatever he uses - - I almost called it a tape recorder...not everyone knows what that is). Or, he gets a song in the middle of the night when he can't sleep. Little moments that interrupt daily life.
Are we listening for those little moments of truth, those snippets of a word from God? We all get them, even those of who don't write songs.
Somehow we need to share those things when we share our talents -- what glorious ways God wants to you. Let Him please! We need you. The world needs you.