Joyful, Joyful

By the time the third person joined the lone musician, tears welled up and I could feel the kind of inner sobs that threaten to unleash mysterious emotions.  Why did
this moving video impact me so profoundly?

Henry Van Dyke

Under the direction of a magnificent conductor, the swelling notes of Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee filled the mall.  Children dancing, crowds gathering, old people smiling, cameras clicking. With each note, each additional musician, and vocalist the smiles grew bigger.  I doubt most people understood the eternal impact and testimony of the words of this magnificent hymn by Henry Van Dyke.  But, when people won't praise Him, the rocks will cry out!

And in all this, I saw God's plan for His family. And I was moved to tears. By ourselves, with our lone gifts, our lone efforts, we can and will make progress.  There are many projects that require isolation and working solo. But God did not create us to be always alone.  In fact, He created us to experience loneliness and to need one another. Along with the emotional needs met by connecting with others, there are times when the task at hand requires more than one person and the blessings and impact of such times is enormous.  We see this in the Family of God, as expressed through the local church. That's when each family member merges their gifts with the many faceted gifts of others.  When no one needs to be the star, but each one harmonizes with the entire Body, with eyes and energy on the goal of accomplishing feats impossible to achieve by ourselves. When this happens, the opportunities for impacting our world are limitless.

Watch the crowd in this video and see the joy in their faces as they received the blessings of this unexpected and free gift of music and message.  Brought to them by numerous musicians who added their skills to the whole.

In the early church, perhaps out of need, but also out of gratitude for the lavish grace of God, early Christians surrendered everything they had for the good of their new family, the family of God.  And their neighbors and communities declared, "See how they love one another!"

Oh, that is the need of our communities today.  Can we work hard at honing our gifts, as these musicians obviously did, for the purpose of joining hands with others in order to demonstrate the unity and love of the family of God to a world that is desperate for such compassion? Think about your own unique family and your church.  Is your focus on being the star?  A Lone Ranger whose independence builds walls? Or are you merging your gifts and abilities as a part of the whole, willing to be in the background if required, adding your service and voice to all, joining with the mighty chorus -  Which the morning stars began; Father love is reigning o'er us, binding all within its span. Ever singing, march we onward,Joyful music leads us sunward,  In the triumph song of life.

View this powerful demonstration of a family of musicians using their gifts to create a stunning performance, and let the words of this hymn wash over you as a declaration of your own faith in the God of Glory, Lord of love.  And think with me of how you can join hands with others in declaring through your gifts your adoration of our God.

Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

Henry Van Dyke

Music: Ludwig van Beethoven; Arr. by Edward Hodges

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;

Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Singing bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blessed,
Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, all who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals, join the mighty chorus, which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us, brother love binds man to man. 
Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us Sunward in the triumph song of life .

In His grip,

Sharon

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