The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.
There are times in my life when I feel like Elijah when he was running from Jezebel. It seems like the whole world has forsaken God. It seems like evil runs rampant and unopposed. It seems like Satan has the upper hand. It is then, just like Elijah, I am reminded of the greatness of my God and I am reminded that God still has a people who praise His name. I am reminded that the praise of the redeemed is still heard throughout the whole earth. I am not alone and my life and my praise are only a small part of God’s amazing orchestra.
Have you ever had the pleasure of hearing an orchestra? There is just something about the ebb and flow of beautiful music that touches the deepest recesses of my soul. My musical knowledge would not even fill a thimble but there are just a few very simple observations I want to make.
A symphony or philharmonic orchestra has approximately 100 instruments and those 100 instruments are typically broken down into sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion. The largest section would be the strings and they, oftentimes, provide the melody. The woodwinds join in and weave warmth and color through the melody while the gleaming brass instruments scatter bright and majestic touches. The percussion section carries the music along on strong rhythmic underpinnings. Each section brings a special element that is integral to the sound of the whole orchestra. Without just one violin, one trumpet, one clarinet, one drum, or even one triangle, the sound and beauty produced would be diminished.
If the world’s population were broken down into a 100-piece orchestra, there would be approximately 60 Asians, 14 Africans, 12 Europeans, 8 Latin Americans, and 5 Canadians and US. When I see these numbers, I am humbled and I am reminded that God has children scattered throughout the entire world from every race and nationality and that Americans are among the least and then there is me.
God’s orchestra has multitudes of children whose melody of praise rises without putting limitations and restrictions on His response. Their praise is unhindered and does not have to be either or but leaves room for God to be God. It is as if their praise is the overriding melody of God’s eternal and unstoppable love. Then I picture those whose praise comes from a place of having known the depth and darkness of bondage. Those who have known the cruelty of the chains of oppression begin to weave their praise in and out of the melody of God’s boundless love adding warmth and color to the melody of His eternal and unstoppable love. Another section then joins in with deep resonating tones of reverence. Cathedrals throughout Europe were meant to speak to those who entered of the majesty and greatness of God and the smallness of man. From the lips of Europeans, comes praise ladened with majesty and glory and awe. Now I can feel the eternal unstoppable anthem of love swell, warmed with the praise of those who know the reality of chains broken and bright tones of majesty and glory scattered throughout. But that is not where it ends. The praise that comes from God’s Latin American children is one of great joy and exuberance. Their praise is a celebration of the life they have in God that is not dampened by their present circumstances. And last but not least, Americans provide a loud and steady rhythm that moves the music along. God has blessed us materially so that this anthem of praise can be carried to all nations. According to statistics, out of the 100 people, 5 would control 32% of the entire world’s wealth, and all of them would be US citizens. So as God’s children join together they sound forth praise that will stir the hearts of all who hear. God’s eternal, unstoppable, majestic, and joyous love is triumphantly carried around the world by His vast orchestra.
What I am trying to say is, I am not a one-man band but I am a part of an orchestra that is made up of different tribes, different tongues, and different nations and God stands as the conductor before us all. God unifies us, sets the tempo, adjusts the volume, and guides us so that the blended sound of praise is greater than any one individual. There is nothing that can stop the anthem of God’s love.
“Have you seen a symphony orchestra?...There is a chap at the back carrying a triangle. Now and again the conductor will point to him and he will play “ting.” That might seem so insignificant, but in the conception of the composer something irreplaceable would be lost to the total beauty of the symphony if that “ting” did not happen.” Desmond Tutu
The whole world has not forsaken God. Evil may be rampant but it is definitely not unopposed. Satan does not have the upper hand and I am not alone. In my mind’s eye, I see God’s orchestra coming to one final amazing crescendo that will usher in the return of our victorious Lord and King. I am watching for Him to point my way so I can add the …
TING!
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