I’ll Be On the Next Plane

I finally had the opportunity to see the movie This is It which is essentially a compilation of the rehearsal footage of Michael Jackson and his creative team preparing for upcoming concerts in London.  While those concerts will never happen, this movie does give people a chance to see the creative process as it unfolds in the midst of spectacle and technology.  It’s really interesting to see how these very skilled people interact with each other, and what drives them to perform at such high levels.  In particular, they focus on the team of dancers, and the auditioning process.  They auditioned hundreds of dancers, and only the best will come to this audition – dancers that have spent years learning and training.  As they interview individual dancers they talk about how they jumped at the opportunity to perform in this show.  One guy from Australia talked about how he found out about the audition two days before it happened, and how he jumped on the first plane to make it.  He jumped on the first plan, just for the chance to audition – no guarantees.  He just jumped at the opportunity.

It really made me question my commitments; to God and to the service of his name in the church.  It’s all very easy to say one is committed, but what does that look like?  Do I actually demonstrate commitment in my life, or is it just an aspiration?  Is Christ significant enough in my life that I am motivated to action?  Think about the worship gathering.  Do I make it a priority to come to church and worship with other believers?  Do I come engaged and prepared, or am I just looking to be served.  These dancers weren’t there to get tickets, or to be impressed by the show.  They wanted to be a part of it.  And what about serving God?  When an opportunity comes along to serve, do I jump at the chance, or do I have a list of reasons why I can’t be involved.  I’ll use music in the church as an example, though we could apply it to any kind of service we offer to God.  Say we had worship team auditions.  We would advertise and set a date and a time. Please come - opportunity to serve God by being on a worship team.  Would people line up outside the building waiting for it to start?  Would people come from near and far just for the opportunity to serve God in the church?  Would we find a person would buy a plane ticket and travel half way around the world just for the opportunity to try serving?  If we weren’t skilled enough would we be challenged to go back and work hard and develop our gifts?

Paul’s letter to the Philippians says “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Sometimes I live a very weak version of following Christ.  But there is an alternative: the power of Christ’s resurrection.  While there is so much in this world that can be enjoyed and explored, Paul reminds us that there is nothing more significant than knowing who Jesus is and what he has done.  That is the greatest adventure we can live.  But Paul also says it isn’t an easy road.  Spiritual maturity doesn’t happen over night.  It comes with spiritual discipline and sacrifice.    I need to continue to prioritize God’s word in my life, and be happy when I’m called on to serve.

Nothing is greater than being able to serve God and glorify Him through my life.  I need to be driven to pursue excellence in the service of my God.  And the reward is beyond great.  It is a life that moves me from the sidelines, from observer status, into a life of amazing and complete fullness.

I’ll be on the next plane.

Pastor Lorn