One Of Those Grandglorious Days: Oct 9th - 15th

This Week & Beyond...

Good day friends!!  All I got this week is a reminder to sign up for the kick-off meeting on October 29th, 5-9pm!!  I'm really looking forward to the evening and trust it will be a good time for all.  If you have plans and can move plans to make it, do so.  If you feel like not coming, change your attitude. Ha!!  If you're dog ate your homework, well, get rid of the dog and come. ;)  If you don't like free food and good fellowship, come see me, I'll pray for you and drive your there myself.  I think you get the point, you should be there!  Looking forward to hanging out with you all!

Sincerely,
Gregory

Devotional...

One of Those Grandglorious Days
by Karen Morerod, Kansas City, Kansas

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:2)

It had been one of those days at work and I was glad it was over. Driving home on the curvy roads through the county, a song came on the radio. The song spoke of one of those days. Not the kind of day I'd had; rather, looking forward to the day when we would see our Savior face to face -- and even see the hands that took the nails for our sins.

As I continued home, I began dreaming what Heaven would be like. In the past, I used to make a list of all the questions I'd ask God when I got there. But eventually I decided none of those questions would really be important when I'm kneeling in front of the Creator of the universe! 

Suddenly, my mind wandered to family and friends who had reached Heaven before me. And scriptures began to come to mind about the sights of Heaven. I envisioned a world where there is no sun because Jesus is the light. I thought of the jeweled walls, gold streets, fountains, trees, and seeing the place that Jesus had prepared for me to live.

Then I imagined the music. It will surely be grandglorious! (That's a special word for singing in Heaven.) All our favorite musicians and bands in one great unending song. Then, there'll be the angels leading us in worship of our great Creator God.

Oh, I can only imagine!

Recently, I think I caught a slight taste of what this might be like in Heaven. We hosted our area churches for a special worship service. As people filtered in, it was great to see all the people representing different cultures. When the service began, as English was spoken, interpretation was provided for our Hispanic brothers and sisters. Then, as scriptures were read in English, Spanish interpretation again followed.

But, it was the singing that brought us all together! The Spanish-speaking church mounted the platform and broke out in guitar, piano and drums. As they sang in their language, I recognized the melody, but I had to play a little Name That Tunewith myself before the English words came to mind.

Everyone around me must have recognized the song about the same time because we all started singing. As we all joined together, it was indeed grandglorious! It didn't matter that some were singing English words and the others Spanish words. We just lifted up the name of Jesus! And we even ended on the same note!

Yes, many languages and tongues will be joined together in Heaven. And, I'm not sure if we'll all sing in our own tongue, or we'll all have a new heavenly language. But, from the descriptions in God's Word it will clearly be nothing less than grandglorious.

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!" (Revelation 5:13).

Of all the people in the church, those of us involved in the worship ministries of our churches should have our minds set on things that are above. What we do here and now is really only the warm-up for later on. 

As I sing in my church, I want to give God all the glory I can while I'm here on earth. But, I want to worship with eternity in mind. And, I think as I do, even my singing will be a little more joyful!

GOING DEEPER:
1. As you help to lead your congregation in worship, do you ever set your thoughts on things above? What does that mean for you?
2. It seems as though at least part of our job as those involved in worship ministry is to encourage the people to look heavenward; to help them "see" God. How can we tangibly help others to see today in the light of eternity?