Majestic, for Me

In addition to their worship medley, the choir began
the service with a call to worship based on the text of Psalm 98.

It's funny the things you remember.
I was sitting in the chapel at church this morning, listening to our choir rehearse their anthems they were to sing in the 11:00 Classic service. They sang, "Majesty, worship His majesty. Unto Jesus be all glory, honor, and praise. . . ."
I remembered trying to memorize the words to that worship chorus on a Saturday before Easter; it might have been 20 years ago. I forget if I was leading worship or just singing on the worship team, but we were going to lead the chorus from memory, without music or words in front of us. I was going over the song in the kitchen while I was helping Evelyn get food ready for whomever we were hosting for Easter dinner the next day.
I remember another time we sang the song. I was leading worship, with a worship team from the church, for a special worship service we had planned to kick off our annual Publishing Committee meeting. We met at Mason Church of Christ, in our old building. The whole Standard Publishing crowd was there, along with a smattering of guests, and I had assembled the musicians to lead the singing. The occasion was the transition of Gene Wigginton from publisher to president of Standard Publishing, and my transition to his office overseeing all the editorial department.
Our choir sang the worship chorus this morning as part of a worship medley. I was hosting at that service, and so I stopped by the chapel at 9:00 a.m. to touch base with Dave Lautzenheiser about the service. When I heard the choir's words of "Holy, Holy, Holy" followed by "Majesty," the memories flooded over me.
So much has happened since I was first learning the words to that chorus, and it surprised me that I could sing them from memory quietly at my seat while they rehearsed. Dave got the brainstorm that I should lead the congregation in singing along with the choir's anthem, while he led the choir. And so this morning I was facing the congregation as the voices of the choir soared behind me and as the congregation sang along.
One little white-haired lady--I see her every Sunday, but I don't know her name--raised her hand in praise, quickly, involuntarily as the song's volume peaked. "So exalt, lift up on high the name of Jesus. Magnify, come glorify the King of all kings." She quickly pulled her hand back to her lap, but her earnest expression and spontaneous gesture of praise touched me deeply, and I could only mouth the words as the chorus finished.
I thought about the great, innumerable choir of saints that one day will "throw down their golden crowns around the glassy sea," and I could picture so many of the folks around me this morning as a part of that grand assembly.

Trevor introduced his beautiful family as a
part of his sermons this morning.

We had another wonderful sermon this morning. It challenged and touched me in ways the minister probably couldn't have imagined or intended. But the greatest inspiration to me was simply being with the saints at Mason this morning and hearing and seeing them offer their praise.