The photo above was taken in All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Germany. It is also known as the “Castle Church” upon whose doors Martin Luther fastened his 95 Theses. On the last evening of the Lutheran World Federation’s Retreat of Newly Elected Leaders, our small group gathered for worship. Our interpreter, a young man from Mexico named Elias, served as our organist. Throughout the retreat he often accompanied us as we sang, but up until this particular evening, it had been on pianos in small chapels.
Like the rest of us on the retreat, he was a Lutheran excited to be visiting the places where the Reformation stook shape. Now here he was playing a magnificent organ in the chapel of Prince Frederick the Wise. I was happy for him and snapped this picture at the end of the service, so that he could have it as a memory.
Elias was an excellent interpreter and a good musician. He was not a trained organist and the challenges of playing that organ in a big space several hundred feet away from the people who were singing were evident. There were some bumps along the way — the group didn’t always hear the melody and often had trouble keeping up with the accompanist. None of that lessened the experience for the worshippers or Elias. We did not need perfection. To be there praising God in that historic space was more than enough!
“O Lord, open my lips. And my mouth shall proclaim your praise.” These words are the first in the service of Morning Prayer and they come to mind as I think about worship that evening in the Castle Church. What we offer to God does not have to be perfect. In fact, God knows us well and does not expect perfection from us!
This week I write to encourage you to make your offering to God with all that you have. Don’t let the voice inside you tell you that it is not good enough. Don’t let those who would judge or discourage you with their own negativity silence what you have to give. Keep your eyes on Jesus who loves us with all that he has and all who he is and with that same enthusiasm give with joy and gladness, assured that God we gladly receive whatever it is we offer!
+Bishop Julie