by Kim Murray, Cedar Falls Volunteer
“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:3-4
When I look at scripture, I see a few different references regarding celebration. It seems like most celebrations happened around specific feasts or included feasts in the celebration of the good things that God had done. Some examples include: when Saul became king (1 Samuel 11:12-15), when King Josiah held an elaborate Passover celebration (2 Chronicles 35:1-19), and when the Jews celebrated their triumph over Haman (Esther 8:15-17). God’s people openly celebrated the good things that were going on in their lives. They really knew how to throw a party!
When God created us to celebrate Him, He didn’t leave the entire job up to humans alone. Scripture also includes examples of worship by heavenly beings (Luke 2:13-14 and Revelation 4:6-11).
All of these are great examples of celebration, but what does that have to do with us? God created us to worship Him with our lives on earth (check out my favorite paraphrase of Romans 12:1-2 MSG) and someday in heaven. He created us to celebrate the good things that He has done (1 Chronicles 16:8).
God wants us to shout His goodness from the mountaintops! He wants us to put Him on display. As artists, we get the privilege of doing this every weekend. We get the awesome job of leading others to the throne as we celebrate the redemptive work of Christ.
However, keeping all of this in mind, I have a few words of caution for you:
It is easy to get so wrapped up in preparation that we get tunnel vision… I am guilty as charged on this one. I have spent a lot of time prepping for a service and been so deep in thought about it that I missed what was going on around me. We have a big job and it is awesome that we get to lead others in celebration, but we need first be aware of the needs of those around us before we can lead them anywhere. When you are going about your everyday life, interact with those around you, ask them how they are doing, take the time to listen to them, be invitational and most of all don’t be in a hurry!
God is worth celebrating all of the time… let me say that again: all of the time. Even if you don’t feel like celebrating and you’ve had the worst day of your life, there is always a reason to celebrate (Psalm 42:5). God is always doing something good in your life. When you intentionally praise God for what He is doing in the tough times, you are an encouragement to others and unbelievers want to know why you have hope. It is the best time to put the Gospel on display.
Get your butt to All Team Meetings… What does that have to do with anything? We have the opportunity to come together once a month to celebrate what God is doing in our lives and the lives of others in W&P. It’s a perfect time to share what God is doing in your life with others who have the same passion you do for leading people to the throne through the arts. When you read the Bible, it is clear that God’s people gathered together to celebrate with food and conversation. Let’s follow their example.
My challenge for you is to be more aware of how you are celebrating Christ’s work in your life. Do your words and actions proclaim that He is worth celebrating?