Sing Like You’re Moses

by Jonathan Noël

I was greatly encouraged by our time together as a Church family this past Sunday.  I usually am, but this week was especially poignant.  Curious?

For starters, Patrick’s sermon, “Warrior” from Exodus 15, got my attention.  God’s people had just been miraculously delivered out of Egypt and Pharaoh, along with his army, had been defeated.  Moses, and his sister Miriam, responded accordingly, singing in great detail of the Lord and His mighty acts.  Patrick zeroed in on verse 3; “The Lord is a warrior.”  He stated, “The song of Moses is OUR song.  It’s appropriated through a greater Deliverer, Jesus Christ.”  Boom.  I’ve read this passage before, but when Patrick made this connection, things got extra real for me.

Last Sunday marked my one-year anniversary serving here at Apostles.  It has been a fantastic year and my family and I are extremely grateful to God and to this congregation. Now, I’m a bit of a Daydreamer.  While Patrick was speaking, I began to imagine what it might be like if I immediately and specifically responded, like Moses, and sang of God’s faithfulness – right then and there.  My new song might start out something like this:

“I will sing to the Lord

For He is highly exalted.

In His faithfulness

He brought us to a new land

A land flowing with milk and honey (Hello Goodberry’s!)

He has loved us through His people

He has continued His work of redemption

The LORD rules!

Hallelujah!”

I’m still working on the tune.  Seriously though, I feel a great urgency for my heart and mind to come alive and respond more fully to what God has done and is doing around me, daily, hourly.

Then it happened. Patrick read a quote from Christian author/pastor John Ortberg that juxtaposed the way we respond in the context of a sporting event versus the way we respond with the people that we love, not to mention with the One Whom we love the most.  Ortberg wrote about our Warrior and His great love and sacrifice for us.  He finished with, “Jesus Christ is risen!”  When Patrick read this, our congregation erupted in applause and cheers.  My heart was pounding.  My eyes were tearing.  I wanted to rush the piano and break into song.  We were responding, like Moses.

Even more, at the end of the service before we sang our closing song, I mentioned that our drummer was absent because his wife had just given birth.  I then asked if the congregation would be the drums by clapping along with this upbeat ditty.  They did and they didn’t stop until the song was over.  Now, that might seem like no big thing, but it was significant to me.  It was like adding fuel to a fire.

As I become more like Christ, I wonder if I might respond more appropriately simply because that’s what Christ did – respond.  We were separated from God, with no hope.  We were dead with no signs of life.  But Christ, Who is our Hope and Life, responded.  And what a response!  Amen.

Jonathan Noël

PS – Here is another opportunity to respond: The Worship Ministry at Apostles is currently in need of additional musicians, with experience and a heart to serve, to fill the following positions:

• Drummer

• Electric Guitar

• Acoustic Guitar

• Piano/Keyboards

• Cello/Violin

If you are interested, or know someone who might be, I invite you to contact me at: jonathan@apostles-raleigh.org

Thank you!