At the conclusion of worship recently, the benediction was a choir/congregational singing of Malotte’s “The Lord’s Prayer.” As we approached the ending, with about 15 bars to go, our organist played a particularly stirring chord as choir and congregation sang fortissimo, “… and deliver us from evil.” Suddenly, the lights went out, and the organ could be heard no longer. We plunged into darkness. Somewhere, in a closet in a hallway, a fuse had blown and a breaker had thrown.
Lyn RobbinsWe were not, however, plunged into silence, for the song went on without a hitch. Choir and congregation joined to finish the piece a capella. The irony of singing, “… for Thine is the kingdom and the power …” while the power was out was lost on no one.
About a dozen symbolic interpretations flooded everyone’s mind, I am sure. You can’t turn out the power of the church. … The blood will never lose its power. … The power of the Holy Spirit is eternal. … And you shall receive power.
What went through my mind was perhaps simpler than that. I was proud, in a proper, holy way. We were unfazed. We did not need to see our newly refurbished sanctuary, much less our hymnbooks or hear our expensive organ in order to sing the right words in four-part harmony. Since the song is a prayer, I sang it, as I always do, with my eyes closed. I will confess to having been tempted to open them to see the reactions, but I resisted. Eyes closed and head bowed, I sang to the end with my brothers and sisters.
I love our sanctuary and organ, and I am not suggesting we routinely turn them off.
I am so glad the power in our worship service does not depend on a fuse box.
But I am so glad our prayer needs nothing more than our voices lifted to God. I am so glad we can join together and make it through to the end with only each other to rely on as God receives our prayer. I am so glad the power in our worship service does not depend on a fuse box.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
Lyn Robbins is a blogger, author of In the Court of the Master and senior general attorney for Burlington Northern Sante Fe. He lives in Fort Worth, Texas, where he is a member of Broadway Baptist Church.
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