A Moment To Praise 6.29.20
Joyce Lochinger, Gravel Hill Worship Leader
In Jesus’ Name…
At the end of our prayers, we often say this phrase so flippantly. However, there is so much power in calling on Jesus’ name. How many fervent prayers have been answered by invoking the name of Jesus? Lives have been restored by calling on His righteous name: how many? How many hearts have been able to forgive someone with the strength that only can come from Jesus and calling upon Him? How many seemingly impossible tasks have be accomplished because of faithful prayer?
I remember years ago (somewhere around 1997 to be exact) when I was tasked with putting together a praise team at the church Shawn and I attended. As a retired dental hygienist, I turned stay-at-home mom to Jenna (age 5) and Shay (age 2). No qualifications to take on this job other than my love for God, my love of music, and my years of piano playing were on my resume.
A Calling from Another
I remember clearly when the senior Pastor said to me, “Joyce, you’re going to do this.”, I replied that I probably would not! To his credit, he did not get angry with me or even have a long discussion with me, he just simply said this: “go home and pray about it”.
As I left his office, those six simple words weighed on my heart for an entire week. “Go home and pray about it.” So I did just that. I prayed, but most of the time I said to God, “I know you don’t want me for this job!” Surprisingly, I heard nothing back from Him in turn with those prayers. As the week was coming to an end, I began to feel a strong urging to go into the Pastor the next Sunday morning and say that I would put together the praise team. In fact, that is exactly what I did!
There was a feeling in my heart that I was resigned to doing this, even though I wasn’t even sure I wanted to. I asked the Pastor how to go about forming a worship team. I was sure that he would have miraculous words of instruction that would change my whole outlook on my project and have it make more sense. Here’s what he said to me: “Go home and pray in Jesus’ name for God to lead you to the right people for this team!”
I was a little unnerved. How was this going to work? Was there some sort of magic that would cause talented people to just start flocking to me? I began feeling concerned and frustrated. I did as he had suggested and I prayed every day for the entire next week.
A Calling To Another
When I went to church the next Sunday, I sat in my usual pew. I listened to the message, prayed along with the congregation, and then we all sang. At that moment, I heard it! In front of me was a women I had never met before who sang like an angel. Her voice literally blew me away. Almost instantly, I heard the voice of God say, “ask her!”
Wow, talk about an answered prayer! I was so excited! The church service ended and I introduced myself. I asked her if she would ever consider singing on a worship team and would she like to be a part of the one I was forming for the church.
Guess what?! She looked at me and didn’t say a word. She started to cry, and then left! I’m serious! She turned around and walked away from me. I was very devastated and upset. God had not answered my prayer after all. Maybe her silence was God’s answer? I just didn’t know! At home, I had a lot of doubt creep into my heart about what I was doing. I was sure that this wasn’t going to be for me at all.
When I arrived at church the next Sunday, I did my best to avoid everyone, especially the woman that I had seemingly upset the week before. As I was busy slinking around, trying not to be seen, I turned a corner and came face to face with the woman who I had made cry the week before. I tried to run away but she was apparently trying to find me.
An Answer
She quietly stopped me and said, “Can I ask you something?” I replied, “Sure” and she said, “How did you know?” I was confused, so I asked what she meant. Her reply was this: “Last week when you spoke to me, I had just finished praying that God would direct me and show me what I could do to help further His Kingdom! Then you asked me to sing on the praise team!” We both ended up crying together that day.
A Moment To Praise 6.29.20 in Scripture
God answers prayers! Even when you think He isn’t answering them – He is!
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+16%3A+26-27&version=NIV
I implore you to never give up in your prayer life, and to always call on Jesus’ name to intercede for you. He will help to heal you and to forgive you so that you can live and live abundantly in Him. Listen to this great song of encouragement and power – In Jesus’ Name!
God Bless!
