Monday, December 29, 2014

Maintain the Pace

Recently, I was once again assigned to a camera for the weekend services at my church. During worship my task was to get a close up shot of the leader at the beginning and the end of each song. In between I was to pan my camera slowly across the stage. Panning is a continuous motion that moves from side to side. For our services a very slow pan is frequently used. The direction may vary but the speed of the movement is always very slow.
Even though there are more than a dozen members on the worship team, I found that much of the time my camera shot contained no people or instruments, merely the background of an empty stage. During this time the natural inclination is to move quickly to the next area that would contain either a musician or a vocalist. Continuing this slow move across an empty portion of stage seems meaningless. Yet, from a visual standpoint, continuing at the same pace is essential. When you change the speed of camera movement, there is a jerky appearance that becomes obvious to anyone who sees it. This would greatly interfere with the smooth transition between shots from multiple camera angles.
The director sees not only what is on my camera screen, but also on all of the other cameras. He knows exactly what is coming up in the musical selection including instrumental solos or vocal solos. He can tell exactly when to fit my camera into the mix of what is seen on stage. I am often amazed how my pan shot fits so perfectly with either a still or a zoom in/out shot being captured by another camera. If I were to have pushed past that seemingly empty time, my shot would not have been ready to be perfectly placed as it was.
 Life can often be like that stage. There are many people and events in our lives. There are busy exciting times. But as we travel the journey of life there are times when it seems to be that nothing special is occurring. During these times our natural inclination is to want to run, or even push God, toward the next big thing. That is not always a good idea. Lord gave this promise to Noah after the flood. “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22 AMP) God promised not to send another worldwide flood. This promise also lets us know that daily life will continue. Not everything will be exciting, but God wishes walk with us through everything.
 During the times in our lives when we do not see these special things going on we must continue with the same zeal and passion that we do during the exciting time. The Christian walk is not an up and down, fast or slow type walk. We are to continue with God at the pace He has set. When things seem mundane we must continue loving and serving God. When things are difficult we must continue trusting God in all things. The apostle Paul encourages us, And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.” (Galatians 6:9 AMP) Even if it is tiring we are to keep following God and doing the right things.
Scripture gives us many encouragements as to what to do during these every day times. In the ordinary times we can continue to act nobly and choose to do right. “And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.” (2 Thessalonians 3:13 AMP) We are always to, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12AMP) Thankfulness is key in all times in our lives.Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].(1 Thessalonians 5:18 AMP) Thankfulness can make the mundane more enjoyable, the difficult easier to handle and the exciting all the more fulfilling.
So in all things keep on walking. Don’t slow down from boredom. Don’t try to speed through ordinary times to get to the next big thing. Keep walking and May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 3:5  AMP)

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