Together We've Got This

       
​       A couple took their young child to a concert in Carnegie Hall to hear the great pianist Paderewski in hopes that he might be inspired to take his piano lessons more seriously. As they were finding their seats, their young son quickly disappeared. Frantically and helplessly they searched through the people finding their seats, when they heard a commotion coming from the front of the stage. They heard some people yelling, “get him off of there,” “where are his parents?” “he’ll ruin the concert!” It was then that his parents caught sight of their son making his way to the Steinway Grand Piano on stage. They were stunned, not knowing what to do, when their child sat down at the piano and started to play the only tune he knew, ‘Chopsticks.’

       Backstage Paderewski heard the commotion and quickly assessed the situation. He quietly walked on stage as the crowd grew quiet and the parents sank further down in their seats. He quietly sneaked behind the boy, and put one hand on the keys to the left and the other on the keys to the right and started to improvise a tune incorporating the boys ‘Chopsticks’ rendition, as he whispered to the boy, “Keep going, you’re doing great! Don’t stop! Good job! Together we’ve got this!” As a duet they played a never before heard tune, with the audience responding by giving them a standing ovation.

       In the midst of one of the most disheartening, frightening, and devastating events known as Covid-19, God’s church ‘plays’ what it can as God quietly whispers in our ears, “Keep going, you’re doing great! Don’t stop! Good job! Together we’ve got this!” But beware, people of God. A great passion to do what God has called us to do and be can in these hard times set the stage for burn out. Especially when many of the tools we use for ministry are temporarily unusable. As the Body of Christ we need to encourage each other, especially our Pastors and called workers to keep going! We need to tell them, “You're doing great! Don’t stop! Good job!” And perhaps most importantly, “Together we’ve got this!” 

       Make no mistake, God is with us, after all that is His promise, “I will be with you always!” We will come out of this smarter than we were when it first started having set the Lord always before us, he is at our right hand, we shall not be shaken.” (Psalm 16:8) 

       Congregations encourage your Pastors. Pastors encourage one another. VPs, Circuit Visitors, encourage your brothers and sisters, especially those out front leading.
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Richard Izzard
Ministry Coalition