Today I sang in our church choir. It was the first time in years and, I must admit, it felt pretty good.  The twenty (or so) other men who joined me on stage sang their hearts out and made a joyful noise,  even if not always on key.  

Standing with those men on stage was a special moment for me. It reminded me of the many years I was part of our church choir and I thought back to the day a man named Robert Cummings invited me to be a part of our sanctuary choir back in 1979. Almost forty years have now passed (along with much of my voice) but today I was reminded how important the choir has been in my Christian journey.  

The men singing today are not perfect. Voices were at times squeaky, and off pitch. It was on the strength of those who could find the right notes, enter at the correct time and harmonize with perfect pitch that the melodious sound coming off the stage was made possible.  When my breath gave out, the man next to me carried the next note and when one missed a cue, others were there to cover their mistake.  Choirs do that for one another. Singing with other men reminded me of the flaws in each of us and the need we have to be supported when our breath gives way or when our lives hit a sour note.  As I have written before, this is the miracle of the Body of Christ and choir may be the best example of its purpose.  

I am aware that men on the stage today are flawed sinners, completely depending on God’s grace.  I know this to be true because I am one of them.  I am flawed, broken, and desperate for forgiveness for the mistakes I make.  But, today I was reminded that there are people who can and will pick me up and help me carry the next note of my life.  A song cannot go backwards and allow a wrong note to be corrected and neither can my life reverse time to right my many wrongs. But, it is good to be reminded that when my life is connected with others, when we are singing the same song, striving to hit the same notes – there is always someone nearby to carry the tune for me when I cannot.

“Then sings my soul!”

Steve