All Is Well

I keep looking at this guitar sitting in my office, thinking about how I wish I could play that silly thing. If only there were some book I could read to make it come to life in my hands. If only I could learn by just watching some of the guitar heroes, or by playing Guitar Hero. It ought to be easier. I mean, shouldn’t there be an app for that? 

I suppose the only way I’m going to play my guitar well is by good old-fashioned practice. And lots of it. In our day and age we want things now. If I want to find out who won the Illini game, I don’t want to wait for the morning newspaper when I can google it now. If I need some extra cash, I don’t want to wait for the bank to open when I can use my ATM card now. If I pull in the drive-thru lane at a local fast-food restaurant, I don’t want to wait an hour for my order when I can get it in a good 20 minutes or so. 

Patience is not my spiritual gift. Neither is learning to play the guitar. I don’t want to spend hours and hours practicing. I just want to pick it up and sound like an Eddie Van Halen or Eric Clapton or Phil Keaggy now. 

Along that line, I didn’t really want to start practicing for our choir’s Christmas cantata back in September, when it was still summer. Who’s thinking Christmas when it’s 90 degrees out? I’d prefer to run through the thing a couple of times in December and see how it goes.

My wife, however, much wiser than I
Knew that songbird wouldn’t fly
So we practiced, and practiced and practiced some more
We practiced until our throats were sore
We practiced at noon, we practiced at night
We practiced before the dawn of light
We sang with our mouths, we sang with our hearts
We sang until we learned our parts
Sometimes we sang fast, sometimes we sang slow
sometimes we let loose with a great crescendo!

Well, with all that singing and practicing, it would be a shame if you didn’t come and hear our choir present the Christmas musical, “All Is Well,” this coming Sunday, December 16, at 10:45 a.m. The First Baptist Church is located at the corner of 7^th and Sangamon, just one block west of the only stoplight in town. We would love for you to be our guest. If you don’t already have a church home, then come and be encouraged by the message of the “good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”

You’ll hear some of the traditional Christmas favorites as well as some newer songs that may soon become your favorite. But most of all, we pray you’ll hear the story about Jesus. In a chaotic and uncertain world that often leaves us lonely, frustrated, disappointed, scarred and broken, Jesus is our hope. Jesus is our peace. Jesus is our joy. Jesus is our salvation. Jesus is our Rock. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us.

He is our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is Good Shepherd, the Bread of Life, the Sun of Righteousness and the Light of the world. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. He is the Word made flesh who came to dwell among us. He is the image of the invisible God.

More than ever, we need Jesus. Friend, you don’t have to try to make it on your own when you can follow in footsteps of the Savior. You don’t have to have it all figured out when you can trust in the wisdom of God. You don’t have to be strong enough when you can rest in the arms of the Almighty. You don’t have to fear anyone or anything when you can triumph in the One who is our Resurrection and Life.

Yes, this world may often be chaotic and uncertain, but when you know Jesus, truly all is well. Come and join us this Sunday morning as we sing to glorify His name.