The Richness of Family

Psalm 150:6
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

The caravan rolled into town yesterday around 3 p.m....
Family.....Tribe....clan...call it what you will.
One from Georgia....
One from Texas....
And one from Montana....
They were joined by two of our own..
Five who came together to make One, collectively praising the Real One.

Of course whenever John Barnett and crew come through Gadsden for an evening of worship, we kill the proverbial fated calf. In other words, it's like a family reunion.
Ton's of BBQ complements of one mister Todd Bagley and Fat Bear BBQ. Mrs. Bagley, otherwise known as LeNola, provided side dishes and dessert. The core leadership of VRC added contributions that brought together a spread that would please any pallet. In other words, we put on the dog. 

Good food, great company, story after story as people caught up with all the goings-on since we last broke bread (Broke bread? man, we broke, stomped on it, threw it against the wall). When this bunch gets together there is some serious eating going on.

Time to start: 7 p.m.
The room began to fill. Some were regular Saturday night attenders..some weren't. But the usual "Howdy's and glad you could make tonight" were spread around.The band took to the stage....
There is something about the way John Barnett writes, sings and plays when it comes to worship.
Very simple lyrics that reveal the heart of a person who is in touch with this God we have come to love.
Uncomplicated music that seems to wrap itself around the words. The two, lyrics and music, become vehicles for the Holy Spirit to deliver the message of hope, love and grace to who ever is present listening.
If you are a musician/song writer, you'd stand there listening, impacted by what you hear. You'd also be thinking, "Why can't I write songs like these?"

There were songs like "Outside Looking In" that gave language to how you felt when it came to life and culture. I saw several who were weeping during this song. Mission accomplished...hearts were in tune to what was being sung. Being on the outside is not a big deal when Jesus is there with us...on the outside.

There were songs that took us into the throne room of God. The air was thick with His Presence. You wish you could just live here and never leave to go back out into the world and the darkness of this age. But then we remember the call to "GO!"...that there are others who need to know and experience this love of God, freely offered to all who would receive.

Song after song flowed from the stage...
Fast up-tempo "Yahoo!" songs such as "I Will Testify"...."I Delight In The Lord God".
Then there was my favorite a somewhat fast little ditty called "Nothing But The Blood". Oh, it's the same one that is sung in church...but the crowd screaming at the top of the lungs as John sang, "What can wash away my sin"....we met with a deafening "NOTHING BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS!!!!".

Driving home after the evening had ended, I couldn't help but think that such evenings as these are all part of the richness of God. He loves family, and He surely loves it when family comes together to worship Him...

Blessings on John, Bobby, and J.R. as they do it all over again this morning in Georgia.
A new day, and another part of the family will get to enjoy what we feasted on last night.
Ain't God good?

God on you...
mbb