We shout! Say “Wow!” (WOW!)
Look at our God!
Look at our God!
It’s VBS week at Christ Fellowship, and you know what that means. Okay, maybe you don’t. Stir together a whole lot of excitement, blend with a huge dose of creativity, and throw in a few hundred volunteers. Spread throughout the entire church building. Marinate for four days straight, a couple hours in the morning and several more in the evening. Cover with generous doses of prayer and sprinkle with extra grace. This is no half-baked effort we’re talking about.
Or, to use a different metaphor: this is our World Series. If Easter is our SuperBowl, then VBS is our end-of-season championship series. The last blast of the “old” year as we prepare to usher in the new. A best-of-four event where we seek to capture the minds, hearts, and souls of children and their families and share with them the love of Jesus through games, stories, crafts, music, and unforgettable characters. It is a full-on team effort, requiring each of us to do our part and work together.
For me, personally, VBS is the most eagerly anticipated, most significant, most important event in my ministry wheelhouse. Planning begins somewhere around mid-winter, song selection and choreography ramp up in spring, and rehearsals and recruiting consume early summer. If all goes well, I can ride the wave of excitement and impact all the way into fall, our new ministry year. It’s not a responsibility – or opportunity – I take lightly.
Every year, my prayer is the same. Show up, God. Show us Who You are. Reveal Your glory to us. Let us see You here.
You know what they say: be careful what you pray for.
Because…you just might get it.
We shout! Say “Wow!” (WOW!)
Look at our God!
Look at our God!
Over 1,200 children.
Over 300 volunteers.
People coming to our church. Some to serve, some to be served. But all of them brought for a purpose.
We shout! Say “Wow!” (WOW!)
Look at our God!
Look at our God!
More than 80 children indicating a first-time decision to follow Christ. To accept His sacrifice of love and forgiveness and let Him be the driving force in their young lives.
Lives forever impacted with the truth of the gospel. Hundreds of families – parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins – hearing the good news of Jesus Christ and God’s love, many for the very first time.
We shout! Say “Wow!” (WOW!)
Look at our God!
Look at our God!
Sidelined with illness, I was relegated to the role of spectator. Helpless spectator, at that. Unable to lead or coordinate the amazing group of youth and adults who had worked so hard to prepare for this week.
God raised up a leader. He bonded that team. He gave them focus and determination. He moved me out of the way to allow others to use their gifts and shine far brighter than they ever thought possible.
We shout! Say “Wow!” (WOW!)
Look at our God!
Look at our God!
And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, He infused that worship center with an extra dose of His Spirit. A beautiful cacophony of praise to the God who loves us just as we are. A sea of arms raised, of hands lifted high as we worshiped in total abandon. A vision of heaven, of that moment when every knee will bow – as tiny, soft-skinned young ones knelt alongside those that were creaky, weathered, and worn – and every tongue will confess Jesus as Lord.
We shout! Say “Wow!” (WOW!)
Look at our God!
Look at our God!
As I looked across that jam-packed auditorium, past the swirl of lights and jumble of sound, I was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by the passion of their worship. Overwhelmed by the dedication – and grace and support and love – of my team. Overwhelmed by the truth of their song. Overwhelmed by the presence of my God.
At that moment, words failed me. But if they hadn’t I’d have used words like Awesome. Amazing. Incredible. Moving. Touching. Inspiring. Beautiful.
And probably one like Wow.
Look at our God, indeed.