Heart of worship

Playing piano this week was great, not because I played great but fun because there were guitars and drums and during our short rehearsal, we coordinated quite well. It's encouraging to work together with others, and reminds me of what we've been studying in 40 Days of Community - how ministry is better done as a team of Christians working with the same purpose, in unity.

To be honest playing piano for church has always freaked me out, throughout the few times I played at my first church in M, later the student fellowship, and even in my current church in B. Although I enjoy being a part of facilitating the singing on the day, learning the songs during the week was inevitably stressful because it takes me such an incredibly long time. Seeing the amazing talent many people, especially Asians who've grown up playing piano (there are amazing non-Asian piano players too, it's just that proportionally it seems more Asians learn piano as their main instrument), I often feel that I don't want to be involved. I can't forget the time when I was just starting to play, I was quite discouraged when the song leader for the week insisted that I should improvise more. Just try! Haha at the time I was too busy working the chords to be thinking about improvising, and improvising is something that I'm still learning.

Besides, I would tell myself, why have someone second rate to play when there are many others who are better. However, being at a smaller church, I am involved in this ministry simply because it possibly gives the regular pianists some restful weeks where they can fully concentrate on the service. In the meantime I've found myself to be gradually more comfortable with learning music, playing music whether alone or with others. I suppose it's about a heart of obedience and his grace, rather than our talents or brilliance (or lack of):

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." - 2 Cor 12:9

As the song Heart of Worship goes:

I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart