No Mendelssohn?

"I'm really sorry, but I think that we will have to call this piece off ", my conductor stated. "I've done all I can, but I can't practice this for you."

I groaned inside. Really? All this time practicing this Mendelssohn piece and... this? 

It was the day before the orchestra concert. I spent many hours practicing the given music, trying to be ready for a great performance.

This was my first year participating in a youth orchestra, and I came with high hopes. I expected to play great musical works (which we did), meet youth musicians that were passionate and focused, and work together so we could have a fantastic performance. As I went through the rehearsal season, I learned some enlightening information on what makes an orchestra or any group really good.

You might imagine that I should have already known this.  I did, in principle. Then I learned in reality.

Teamwork. [teem- wurk]  You do your part. I do my part. We work together to reach a common goal.

Our director was excellent. Our performance was good. If only all the students had worked as a tenacious and committed team, then we would have been able to play this discarded piece and maybe even done better on the other pieces chosen.

Lesson learned.

If just one single person isn't committed to practice, then they lower the performance of their whole section. Now, the performance of the whole orchestra is lowered.  Everyone must give their absolute best!

The ultimate example of teamwork is depicted in Heaven. All heaven is doing their part to save us from Satan's trap- eternal death. A favorite author of mine once wrote:

"All heaven is actively engaged in working out the plans of God... The angels, thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand are commissioned... to guard us against evil and press back the powers of darkness that are seeking our destruction."

God's love for us is so great that not just He, but all the angels of heaven are doing their part to protect us from Satan and lead us to Jesus so that we can then experience life without sin, death or destruction. Each is giving his best effort so that we can know God's amazing love for us and His plans for us to live with Him forever.

Heaven is doing all it can.

What will you do?

~Joi