Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Lock and Key (08/21/14)
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TITLE: Bringing in the 'Sheep" | Previous Challenge Entry
By Julene Celander
08/25/14 -
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Once the director dismissed the choir, Juliette ran up to her and begged her to listen to her song. The director agreed and sat down in the pew. Juliette, as joyful as she could be, stood on the stage ready to sing. The smile on her face stretched from ear to ear and she began belting out her favorite song.
When she was done, the choir director looked like she was in shock. “Well, Juliette. That certainly was interesting! Let me pray about letting you sing. In a couple of days I will call and give you a decision.”
“Oh thank you Miss Beverly! The greatest thing in my heart is to praise God. I will be anxiously awaiting your call.”
On Sunday morning Juliette dressed in her finest and scrubbed behind her ears. She brushed her teeth to a gleaming shine. Her hair was brushed until it glowed like a halo around her head. Her heart was singing with joy. The smile on her face lit up the room like a thousand watt bulb. This was going to be her Sunday to praise God and make a joyful noise.
The choir sang just before the pastor gave his sermon. Juliette sat smack dab in the middle of the choir between the altos and sopranos. When the rest of the choir stood, she remained seated until it was her turn. Beverly nodded her head and Juliette came forward. The choir sat and Juliette opened her mouth.
“Bringing in the sheep, bringing in the sheep,
We will come rejoicing, bringing in the sheep.
Bringing in the sheep, bringing in the sheep,
We will come rejoicing, bringing in the sheep.
Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing at lunchtime, and in the dewy eve,
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We will come rejoicing, bringing in the sheep.”
The choir members once again stood. It was difficult to pick up the song as they were supposed to do after hearing Juliette’s version of ‘Bringing in the Sheaves’. The pastor looked at Beverly with a frown on his face and mouthed, “What was THAT?”
After church, Beverly caught up with the pastor and explained. “I have never seen anyone so passionate. I have never seen anyone filled with so much joy. I have never heard anyone so dedicated to praising her Lord.”
“That may be, but she was entirely off key and sang the wrong words! Whatever possessed you to let her get on stage?”
“The words may have been wrong according to the old familiar hymn,” replied Beverly. “But were they wrong according to what Jesus teaches us in Matthew 18:10-14? Maybe we should all be bringing in the lost sheep; not to mention the fact that He also tells us ‘not to despise one of these little ones’.”
“I prayed long and hard and received an answer that told me to let the little one make her ‘joyful noise unto the Lord’ and I will bet you there wasn’t a closed eye in the sanctuary during her solo!”
“That’s one bet you won’t get me to take! You may be on to something. You are right. Her off key singing just might have been the attention getter to unlock the heart of a lost sheep. At least they were awake to receive the message afterwards.”
“God uses all of us in different ways. We are to encourage all members of the body and love them no matter what. This was my chance to encourage a young member of the body and let her joyfully praise the Lord. I have never seen such joy in a heart as what I saw in hers. Her enthusiasm is contagious.”
“Right you are Miss Beverly! I need to go find Juliette and thank her for her enthusiasm, passion, and joy in serving the Lord. Lesson learned.”
“Who knows,” quipped Beverly, “maybe she will be the next great writer of hymns. We can always encourage her to do just that and let someone else do the singing.”
“A good idea!” Pastor called as he headed for the fellowship hall. There, he found Juliette surrounded by well wishers. There he found her spreading joy and love to everyone in the hall.
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God bless~
I liked the message.
The discussion between the choir leader and the preacher told it all.
As you said, "Our gift may not be to sing on 'key', but the praise God."
God bless~