I heard those words more than a few years ago uttered by Jeremy Begbie, a British professor, who gave them as part of a wonderful talk at IV’s Following Christ, Shaping Our World conference in snowy Chicago over Christmas break.  It was a foundational talk for me and one that I will be forever greatful for because it expanded my view of scale of God and how he influences my life.  As he urged the listener to have a happy new year, he pointed out God’s ability to use reccurring themes in our life; themes that can build on each other in improvisational ways, similar to that of a jazz musician and urged us to listen and marvel at the continued work of God in themes that can stretch out over a number of years if necessary by looking for the subtle jazz of the new familiar.

I thought about the ideas in that talk came a number of times this week as I had the opportunity to serve with friends at the Urbana mission’s convention in St. Louis.  Past Urbanas have never failed to be watershed moments where I feel drawn to the presence of God and hear his direction in my life.  Even as a volunteer, listening and watching and keeping my head up to look around has been something I’ve been appreciative of the opportunity to do. 

This week was no exception.  I worship through scale; specifically, it’s wonderful to plug into a large system (or body) of people and play my part and get a sense of the vast level of experience and care that goes into putting on the whole.  At one point this week, as an example, I was backstage and walked out front to see the final performance of the dance team on stage.  As I saw these very gifted performers pour out their spirit in humble worship to their creator, I thought of the equally gifted people running lights, the skill of the person running sound, the watchful eye of the ’stadium servants’, the countless artists that were behind the scenes enabling the vide of that performance to be kept and the number of people we were working with on the web to record this event for those at home and the gifts of the particular speakers for each day and it was worshipful. 

Then I pondered the stories of the 22000 people in the audience and wondered how many were there for their first convention and had a similar story of meeting (the pictures were there at one time, oh and forgive the design, it was a few years ago) or how many were getting this taste of God and of heaven at such a scale for the first time and it made me sit in awe of God.

Working the convention was also a renewal of value for me. It’s always wonderful to see and appreciate God’s work through the University and how that time played such a pivotal role for me and the privilege I have of still interacting at the University today as staff and lecturer and IV volunteer. 

I could, and will, go on about specifics of the convention and where MJ and my heart still lies, but I will save those for another non-insomniac post. 

But as I sat there crowded around a monitor in a back hallway taking communion, I solemly appreciated the body of believers I was taking it with and the friends I was in company with and the new ones I had made that week (amongst them, it was wonderful to get to put faces with bytes of Paul and Dave (we really should have got a picture…)) and thought of the themes that God had stirred and re-improved.  It made me sit in wonder of the effects of these 6 days and what lessons I would take this time around from Urbana and what new things lie ahead.