Choreographer and Conductor

    

       Have you ever attended a symphony or other musical performance with a conductor at the helm? He moves his arms dramatically, nodding his head or pointing his baton for each section’s entrance. He holds the orchestra and other performers in the palm of his hand. 

    When there is dancing involved, as in The Nutcracker, for example, you can be sure there has been a choreographer behind the scenes, designing, teaching, and coaching the movements of the performers. You don’t see the choreographer during the show, but you can be certain that without him, the performance would have been a chaotic, bumbling mess. Both the one up front and the one unseen are crucial to the show’s success. The performers cannot see the whole picture. They must keep their eyes on their Conductor, playing and moving as they have been trained by him and by their Choreographer, who were privy to the impression made by the whole group

    Picture a performance ready to begin. Some run in late and breathlessly take their seats. Others have been playing, singing, or dancing since before their feet reached the floor. In the audience and even closer in the wings, some are raptly watching and listening, some longing to join the company.. surprisingly, the Conductor waves them in***, beckoning them with a wide smile. The newcomers don’t realize that He has long been choreographing their lives to bring them to this moment. The performers joyfully make room for them, while still keeping their eyes on the Conductor. 

     Our ADONAI Elohim is both Choreographer and Conductor of our lives. We need Him to prepare us and also to ‘conduct’ us daily as we live out His purposes and plans for us. What peace there is in knowing that He has also already planned and choreographed our movements** and those of other cooperative believers. Our lives are woven together with others’ in a harmony we can’t see or hear with our physical senses. 

     What a glorious merging of sound and movement we make when we choose to follow His lead and agree to be trained* by His Word, practicing daily to improve our reflection of Him: it becomes a feast for the eyes and ears, calling out to those hungry for Him. The glorious Morningstar**** has risen in our hearts and is calling out His invitation*** to others. Oh wait, is that a new group watching and waiting in the wings?

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NOTES

*“So devote yourselves to lavishly supplementing [choreographing*] your faith with goodness, and to goodness add understanding, and to understanding, add the strength of self-control, and to self-control, add patient endurance, and to patient endurance add godliness, and to godliness add mercy, and to mercy add unending [agape] love.” —2 Peter 1: 3-7

{*The Greek word epichorēgeo… can mean “richly provide” (for the choir) or “choreograph.”} 

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“ As a result, the kingdom’ gates will open wide to you as God choreographs your triumphant entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Messiah.” 2 Peter 1: 11

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**“You know everything there is to know about me. You perceive every movement of my heart and soul, and you understand my every thought before it even enters my mind. You are so intimately aware of me, Lord. You read my heart like an open book and you know all the words I’m about to speak before I even start a sentence! You know every step I will take before my journey even begins. You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way, and in kindness you follow behind me…”  Psalm 139: 1-5

 You saw who you created me to be before I became me! Before I’d ever seen the light of day, the number of days you planned for me were already recorded in your book. Every single moment you are thinking of me! How precious and wonderful to consider that you cherish me constantly in your every thought…”  Psalm 139: 16

***“3Everything we could ever need for life and godliness has already been deposited in us by his divine power. For all this was lavished upon us through the rich experience of knowing him who has called us by name and invited us to come to him through a glorious manifestation of his goodness.”  2 Peter 1: 3-4 

 ****  “For this prophetic message is like a piercing light shining in a gloomy place until the dawning of a new day, as when the Morning Star rises in your hearts.” —2 Peter 1: 19b