I love a parade--and last Saturday's Christmas Parade in Springfield, MO, was one to love. Not just the creative floats and the cool Santas. Not just the talented twirlers and the tootin' trumpeters. No--you see, my 14-year-old "saxy" son was marching, with talent oozing through his fingers, feet, and lips-and I was proud! Proud enough to cheer and embarrass him as he passed by!
The band will play on--there will be other parades, other sons, and other mothers, who may, a hundred years from now, feel the same pride and joy. They, too, will probably polish white shoes, see that the uniform is neatly hung, cleaned and pressed--and, just like me--fuss over a missing helmet or two!
Life comes and goes--and we are the marchers. Some days we play the flutes--lilting messages of joy. Other days we beat the drums--booming messages of pounding importance. Life's band has always marched--and whether this is your day for the flute or drum, depending on what you are celebrating or protesting, the band plays on!
And now, I hear those drums. Let's hurry to watch the parade!
A Helping Word...or Two!
Parade of Pretense...Ever been to Disneyland or Disney World to see the famous Main Street Electrical Parade? Dozens of wonderful pretend characters march out of children's favorite books to delightful music, lights, and laughter. An hour of magical enchantment, and then back to the real world--jostling crowds, tired feet, terrible traffic, and empty wallets!
Pretense is like that! Jacob was a master of pretense; a trickster of the highest, or lowest, sort--parading through life with cleverness and charm. And one night God stopped the parade. Jacob had a life-changing encounter with his Lord--and from that momentous night on, he marched to the beat of a different drummer!
And the band plays on. For we are no different. We dress up in our imaginary costumes of pride, self-confidence, and satisfaction, put on our smiles, and off we go to march in our own parade. Until God says, "Stop the parade!" For a life encounter with the Almighty Lord is about to happen--to change us forever. Are you ready for your Lord to stop the music--now??
Parade of Pain!...Ever have a parade march endlessly by as you wearily, chilled to the bone, stand, brace the wind, and wonder, "When will this never-ending parade END?? For parades are not always fun--rain, snow, and sleet, and the band plays on!
Pain is like that! Peter faced an endless parade of painful memories. Loud, brash, always putting foot in mouth, ready to take off an ear if you weren't careful! And the ultimate? Denying the Lord he loved. It must have hurt incredibly--a million hurtful scenes and sounds parading through his mind, like a rerun of a bad movie, over and over. But life wasn't over, for one day, the Lord he loved said, "Stop the parade, Peter. You've suffered enough. I have grace enough to take those painful memories; to erase the past; to give you love, life, and laughter once again." And He did--see Peter victoriously proclaiming his Lord's gospel at Pentecost. The parade was over--and there was overwhelming gladness, and joy.
But YOUR band plays on. Repeatedly, the so-called director drums your hurtful past into every corner of your mind, heart and soul. You numbly stand as he parades sins, faults, failures, mistakes past the grandstand of your life. Well, tell him to STOP the PARADE. Jesus, your Lord, has granted you forgiveness, a new life, and new walk with Him. Those memories are only shadows to haunt, fears to re-live, mistakes to re-hash. The enemy of your soul will parade boldly before you no more--when you stop listening! Someday God will march him into the bottomless pit, never to drum you to death again! He is a defeated foe. Don't let HIS band play on!
Parade of Praise! Ever been in a situation where you could go neither left nor right, forward nor behind--stuck in place, to wait it out, to trust in the Lord's mercy to deliver you? Marching in place--going nowhere--and praising Him!
Praise is like that! Hear Paul and Silas, bound in stocks and bonds--no marching parade for sure--but in their hearts sounds of joy, gladness and praise; testimony to a faithful God. The sounds were heard by the sinners--it captivated their own hearts--and the band played on!
Will the band play on when YOU are stuck in the stocks? It can. For in our darkest, deepest pit, if we are still enough, we will hear a song--deep within our hearts--a song of praise to the God Who knows how to turn sadness and distress to joy and laughter. Senseless to a sinner--security to a saint. For in spite of the situation and problems, the band plays on--music from another world fills our hearts with praise, exactly what God is waiting to hear! Let the band play on!
Some day the pretense and the pain will all be over. The Lord will say, "Stop the parade. Eternity is about to begin." And the praise will resound through the streets of heaven, as we rejoice in the faithfulness of our Conductor, Band Director, and Maestro, Who has finely tuned our instruments of praise into instruments of His glory.
Polished shoes, spotless uniform, shiny instrument--recovered helmet! To His honor and majesty, in the presence of His holy angels--they will march in majesty--Jacob, Peter, Paul and Silas, saints of the ages--perfectly in step with you and me!
And the band will play on...forever and ever and ever!
And that's just a word...or two, from my heart to yours!
His Healing Word
"Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King (Psalm 98:4-6 KJV)."
