Selah...Pause, and Reflect!

   

I cried to the LORD with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

Psalm 3:4 (NKJV)

     Selah is a mysterious word, found only in the book of Psalms. But what does it really mean?

Selah may be a marker of a mood shift, or a transition in thought. Selah may mean to hang, referring to measuring something by hanging it on a scale to determine its value. Selah’s consonants may be an acrostic signifying either change of voices or repeat from the beginning.(1)

     For the first time in our lives, this coming Easter/Resurrection Day will be done very differently. Due to the pandemic and chain of tragic events, churches cannot meet as usual. There has been a definite mood shift, a transition in thought. We now have time think about the things we have been doing, and consider our need to continue or even stop. The elaborate programs that we spent weeks preparing, will not be held, at least not right now. We pray for God to show mercy on us, and that He would remove the plague from our lands. Hopefully, we have taken time to pause...and reflect.  One day, churches will reopen and people will begin to gather again. Some of us will pick up our routines where we left them, and present our programs on another day. Or will we? Have we learned anything? Will we do things differently, or go back to business as usual? Here are some things to consider:

     Not by our choreography, beautiful garments, dynamic flagging, dance theology and flawless technique or lack of it..not whether we call what we do ministry or performance, what colors we wear...mattahs or crowns, whether we wear shoes or dance barefoot...everyone will know that we are Christ's followers because of the way we love one another. The way we are kind, truly uplifting, and encouraging. The way leaders treat their groups in public as well as behind the scenes when no one is looking, the way we handle money with integrity and honesty, the way we relate to other ministries who are more or less accomplished than we are. It’s about doing away with elitist attitudes and competitive mindsets, because there's room for everyone. It’s not our place to determine who God called or not, it's The Holy Spirit's job to set people apart at their appointed time. How many have we wounded because of our disdain towards those who didn't measure up to our standards when we saw them dance?

     Let's go back to the heart of worship and love others...treating them as we want to be treated. The white elephant has been sitting in the room for a long time and we have been dancing around him. He’s in our way! Let’s move him out and make room for The Holy Spirit to move as He pleases, through us all!

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Footnote: (1) www.praypsalms.org. "What Does Selah Mean?"

Christmas Blessings!

   

     At this busy time of year, I hope everyone enjoyed wonderful presentations of worship around the Christmas theme whether it was through Musicals, Drama, Poetry, Cantatas, Dance, Caroling, or Non-traditional Tradition, and that those who were observing were blessed. I had the most amazing opportunity to direct a children's play that was a lot of fun for the kids as they learned how to present the Good News of Christ in a creative way. They also learned that excellence as an expectation does not mean to never make a mistake, but to put enough time and effort into what we do, so that no matter what happens, we know what to do when mistakes happens (so that no one else notices) :-)

    Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and we will be back in 2016 with more insights about worshiping Christ through the arts!

Blessings... 

What is Excellence?

The word excellence means many things to different people. The term is used all the time when it comes to the ministry of the arts. For some, it is a subjective response to one’s personal taste, while for others, it is nothing short of perfection. Webster’s dictionary defines it as: the fact or condition of excelling; superiority; surpassing goodness, or merit.

 I would define excellence as being the best I can be at this moment, yet always looking for ways to improve. Excellence is not static, it is a continual journey. What is excellent for me today, should not be excellent next week, next month or next year; rather, whatever I am doing now, should give me latitude for next week, next month or next year. I should be able to look at myself a year from now, and see progressive change. As a wise person once said, either we are moving forward, or backwards; standing still is not an option. This does not mean that I cannot be kind to myself in the process, or that I am to judge others harshly, or reject them because they do not meet my standards, because in God’s economy, excellence includes kindness and humility (Gal. 5:22-23). Excellence requires focus, self-examination, and of course, hard work. It means encouraging myself when no one else seems to notice me, or when I don’t see immediate results of my efforts. Most of all, it means making the most of what I have, to please God and to share with others for His purposes.