One Little Wave Spoke Volumes

The choir came forward from the back of the church.
Each choir member was dressed in the long choir robe.
Each choir member took his or her place on the risers.
I looked at the familiar faces doing what they love, for the Lord they love.

I looked at each one, my brothers and sisters in Christ.
They sat waiting until it was time for them to sing.
They each had the folder of music in their lap.
They would have practiced this song during the week before they actually sang on Sunday.

Finally, the choir director got up.
A podium was placed before her and raised to the right height.
She signaled for the accompanying music to begin.
She lifted her hands.

Altos and sopranos were separated on the risers by a line that was not there.
Each knew their part perfectly.
Each voice blended with all the other voices until only one voice was heard.
I looked at the faces of the young people in the choir and smiled.

The future was standing before me.
The ones who will carry the faith to the next generation.
The ones who will carry the hymns of the faith to their children and their grandchildren.
Looking at the young people before me, I realized that the torch is in good hands.

Then I saw him.
He was new to the choir but not new to the church.
I know his wife and his three children from Bible study.
I watched him as he began to sing.

I wanted to look around the church to find his wife and smile.
However I was too interested in what was going on in front of me.
He found his wife and children in the pew.
I didn’t even have to turn around and look to know that.

He smiled a broad grin as he was singing.
His eyes were on the choir director but they darted over towards his family.
I saw his hand come up just a little bit.
It was a tiny wave that was meant for his children, one of whom I’m sure was waving to him.

Just a tiny wave and a broad smile.
And my heart was warmed with the sight of it.
It was meant to be a private moment.
I felt like an intruder.

This moment blessed my heart.
The simplicity of the moment.
The profundity of the moment.
The moment between a father and child that affected me sitting on the periphery.

His three little children, two boys and a girl, were watching their father live out his faith.
They were watching their father worship the God he loves.
This man is showing through his faithfulness and service that God is important to him.
This man is singing praises to God and showing his children that worship is important.

His little wave said it all.
I’m up here, but I’m still you’re dad.
I may be singing in the choir but all of you and your mom are my priorities.
All of you and your mom are my priorities but Jesus is my Lord.

Bob Kauflin writes many of the worship songs we sing in church.
Bob Kauflin describes himself in a short, one sentence bio.
Husband, father, pop-pop, director of Sovereign Grace Music, songwriter, pianist, most importantly, redeemed son of God and amazed by grace.

From the book, Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God, he says:
But we can’t love anything in the right way unless we love God more.
How right he is.
Having our priorities straight is the most important thing.

I suspect that the young father I saw in the choir today has his priorities straight.
He loves God most of all.
Because he loves God first, he loves his family well.
Because he loves his family well, he waves while he is in the choir standing on the risers.

His wave was necessary because even singing in a choir comes after your family.
Whether he has the choir robe on or not, he is a dad.
He is a dad after he is a husband.
He is a husband after he is a child of God.

Only in Christ does this progression make sense.
One hinges on the other.
The Door that hinge is attached to is the Lord Jesus.
This young father knows that truth and he will make sure his children know that as well.

My son, give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways. (Proverbs 23:26)

One little wave spoke volumes.

Watch me!
See what I’m doing!
Follow me!
Imitate me!

All these things I do for the Lord, I want to show you.
None of them will save me.
None of the good things I do will get me into heaven.
All of the things I do for the Lord are my act of worship.

I do all the things I do because I love Him so much.
Because I love Him so much, I want you to love Him, too.
I want to show you the Lord Jesus I serve.
So I wave at you to let you know that you are a gift from His hand.

I imagined that conversation happening.
His children are young now.
But they are watching.
They see what is important to their father.

That is parenting 101.
Allowing your children to catch the things you do.
Allowing them to learn from your example.
Teaching them Truth and living it out yourself.

One man who is redeemed; a son of God, amazed by grace.
He sang in the choir and he waved.
One little wave spoke volumes.
His children were watching.

2 responses to “One Little Wave Spoke Volumes”

1. Love how you point out so clearly the natural progression that is only in Christ.

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   • Charmaine, only in Him does anything make sense.
     How blessed we are to have Him put our priorities in order.
     Gina

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