Seek Worship Band Devotions

Worship shapes us into the people God designed us to be. These devotions focus on the shape of worship, ten descriptions of a worshipper.

Order - Part 4

Think of how a mother or father would feel upon realization that they had accidentally left their child alone in a store after shopping. Frantically, the parents rush back to look for the child. Questions of the child's safety race through their minds. What if something terrible has happened? This may have been similar to the way Jesus’ parents felt in Luke 2.

Every year his [Jesus'] parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." (41-48)

This is how the worship leader feels when the drummer doesn't show up, or when the sound technician is absent, or when the keyboardist has gone missing. Questions of their well-being race through the worship leader's mind. In addition to concern for the missing team member, the worship leader also begins to worry about what kind of effect this will have upon the congregation. Can the band play that upbeat song without the drummer? Will anyone be able to hear the choir without the sound technician controlling the microphones? What will the band do when the pianist's lead solo goes missing from the instrumental portion of that song?

Your ministry of worship is important. When you are missing, there is a void left behind. If you need time off for vacation, illness, or other responsibilities, your worship leader understands these needs. And he or she will work with you to arrange for the time off that you need. But the only excuse for your absence without a phone call is an emergency. When you skip practice or worship without telling the worship leader where you are, he or she comes to one of two conclusions.

1. There is some sort of emergency. Because they care about you (as a person, not just as a function of the band), they will want to know how they can help respond to the emergency.
2. You don't respect the leader, the band, the congregation, or our God enough to let the worship leader know where you are and why you're absent.

Since we worship a God of order - not a God of chaos or confusion - let's agree to be on time for practice and worship. Let's be dependable - the team member that others can always count on to show up. And let's worship God in an orderly way, prioritizing his team and his congregation over our personal desires.

Lord, I will worship you with order. I commit to being on time and present at practice and at worship. And when I cannot be present or on time, I commit to respecting your team, your congregation, and the worship leader you placed over me by letting he or she know where I am and why I'm absent or late. Take my time and make it yours.

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