music, love and community

I am listening to music today while painting a commissioned piece. “Elysium“, the theme song by Hans Zimmer, Lisa Gerrard, and Klaus Badelt from the film “Gladiator“… a very moving piece, started playing. At one point in the music the theme rises and it is just so overwhelmingly beautiful. I wondered how the members of the orchestra felt the very first time they played it together.

Imagine the feeling! You are being introduced to a brand new piece the conductor has written. The sheet music is set in front of you. All you see are notes on a page. You can hear your part as you look at the notes. But that’s all you can hear. Nothing else. The conductor raises his baton and the orchestra begins. Nice. But the theme of the music rises. It is astoundingly beautiful! It is so beautiful that the whole orchestra is obviously moved by it. At the end of the piece you all stand up and applauded the music with tears. I have experienced this.

It reminds me of such moments in community. All we know is that the theme music is Love. Everyone has their part. All they know is their part. All they can see or hear is their part. But when everyone does their part, it is astoundingly beautiful. It is powerfully emotional and moving and meaningful. Those moments are unforgettable.

I do not compare the pastor to the conductor. In this case the conductor is much more divine. Such as Love. When we allow Love to write the music and we all play our part with excellence, unbelievable moments of true community can happen.

I know because I’ve experienced it.