In Awe of Our Providing King

We've been going to Lamaze classes for the past couple of weeks in preparation for the arrival of baby Wilson. We've learned everything from what to bring to the hospital, proper breathing techniques down to the very science of how it all happens (pictures were not necessary...geez).

This past Monday we learned how to care for the newborn including sponge bathing...

One fascinating topic we discussed was breastfeeding. Now I don't actually want to talk about the art of nursing but did you know that the mother's milk is solely designed for her baby and her baby only? No two breast-milk are ever the same. It has the exact nutrients needed for her baby at whatever stage of life her baby is in. So if baby is born preterm, it has more protein and nutrients needed at that younger age than a baby born at term. Furthermore, breastfeeding passes on immunities to her baby to help fight viruses and illnesses. That's incredible!

When Linds and I learned the 'science' behind breastfeeding we almost instantaneously looked at each other and said 'how can you not believe in God?' It really does put a whole new meaning to the passage in Matthew where Jesus himself says 'the very hairs on your head are all numbered' and in Psalm 139 where it mentions He made all the delicate, inner parts of our bodies and knit us together in our mother's womb...that He watches us as we are being formed in utter seclusion and we're woven together in the dark womb. We serve a God who knows us by name and knows exactly what we need week by week! It was a pretty gracious moment for both of us.

As we countdown the last couple of weeks until baby comes, there have surely been thoughts and questions that I think every new parent faces. Of course the questions and concerns of finances lurk but deeper questions like do we have what it takes to be a good parent? Are we ready to raise a human being...raise one of God's creations to ultimately live for Him? I don't know if we ever will be but we rest in the fact that 'He both precedes and follows us; He places His hand of blessing on our heads. Such knowledge is too wonderful for us, too great for us to know!' (Psalm 139.5-6)

My good friend Lonnie Smith asked me the other day, 'when have you ever been without food at meal time or without a pillow when you laid down to sleep?' It's true...at 24 years of age, not once have I ever been without...why doubt now? Has God not shown me how He provides?

Psalm 139 continues to say 'how precious are Your thoughts about me oh God; they are innumerable! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!' This morning I found myself just awestruck and without words in thoughts of such a loving, caring and providing King!

A Living Response to Beautiful News

The Apostle Paul explains orderly, corporate worship in 1 Corinthians, saying when we gather, some will teach, the righteous will pray with holy hands lifted high, some will prophesy and cast vision, some will share what God has been doing in their life and some will sing. I have a humbling call on my life to sing and to lead in creative and applicable ways that connects others with Biblical truths and helps move them to action...and I love it. I've been leading worship almost every Sunday for the past four years.

This summer marks two years I've been able to serve FBC Lewisville, leading worship for their eleven11 contemporary service and it's been amazing. I love my church. My family started going there when I was 13 years old. It was at First Lewisville that I met my wife in the 8th grade, grew up with her in the walls and activities of our church and met her at the alter 10 years later. I baptized my 11 year old brother in this church. I continue to attend and serve my church because it is very much alive. We have international, national and local opportunities to serve Christ and others through word and deed. I believe God is continually breathing life throughout my church and if it were to not be there tomorrow, the community would be deeply affected because of it.

As I've continued to serve, my desire has always been to help others experience the True love that is in Christ and the tremendous freedom and amazing grace that can be found in surrendering to Him. If I can be honest, I'll tell you my 'career' as a lead worshipper cultivated out of that desire and an ability to simply play worship songs. Over the past couple of years, God has continued to teach me what it means to not just play worship songs but to lead others to the very Throne of God through song and worship arts. Those are two very different things.

So this summer, I decided to put to paper my mission statement as a lead worshipper and what I'd love to continually help develop within the worship ministries at First Lewisville and among all those who gather to seek Him. Here goes...

Above all, I seek to glorify God and bring honor to His name by who I am, how I live and how I serve (2 Corinthians 3.18). For me, worship is tuning my heart's desires and my mind's attention on who God is and what He has done for us (Colossians 1.20-23; Ephesians 2.4-6). I know that I don't just lead worship from the stage but throughout everyday life in what I do and say. In David Crowder's book 'Praise Habit', he referred to praise and worship as 'finding God moment by revelatory moment, in the sacred and the mundane, in the valley and on the hill, in triumph and tragedy and living praise erupting because of it...praise is something we are, not something we do.'

As lead worshippers, what an incredible and humbling responsibility we've been given to lead others to the presence of the Lord. With that thought in mind, I want to pursue excellence in my service to God and His church (Colossians 3.23-24). Furthermore, I take very seriously the call and expectations God has for leaders in His church (1 Timothy 3.1-5). I want to be a man whose life cannot be spoken against. As lead worshippers, there are certain characteristics we must seek to portray and commit to developing:

1. We must commit to Jesus, to His followers and to His world (Matthew 28.18-20)
2. We must serve with joy and authenticity (1 Thessalonians 5.16, John 4.23)
3. We must serve with humility and honesty (Romans 12.3, Proverbs 12.17, 19)
4. We must prayerfully serve with broken hearts for those that don't know His freedom and His love (1 Timothy 2.1-6)
5. As a team, we must serve and love one another (1 Thessalonians 5.11-18)

Again, worship is tuning our heart's desires and our mind's attention on who God is and what He's done for us. God made peace with us, once His enemies, by means of Jesus' blood on the cross and while we were completely at fault and the ones to blame, God made us alive when He raised Christ from the dead. It's His amazing love, kindness, forgiveness and mercy that allows us to stand holy and blameless without a single fault - when He looks at you and I, He sees Jesus. Praise and worship is a continued life of response to that Beautiful News.