I couldn't stop thinking about this verse last night as I sat with friends watching a close friend debuting his new EP to a crowded room of listeners and onlookers at an event called INK. With songs that were soothing yet dynamic, the room soon began to buzz with excitement over the new material. But with all of the noise surrounding me, I couldn't help but wrestle with the Ecclesiastes passage.
You see, just as I was brought on staff a few months ago, James decided to leave and follow a calling to a church plant in Orange County. As excited as I was for him to follow this opportunity, I was also pretty crushed.
James was a mentor to me, someone who I had looked up to for years. Every time I had the opportunity to lead with James, I would always try my hardest to soak in as much as I could, shadowing his every move. James has a supernatural ability to bring a congregation before the Lord in worship, to bring people before the presence of God and passionately worship Him. I don't know how to put it any other way than "I wanna do that!"
But above that, James was a close friend. He was always available for me to talk to, whether it be about worship leading, frustrations, or even girls. He was someone who I could trust with anything and who would always fill me up. I can't even begin to say how may times he talked me down from quitting or giving up on things. He was someone who saw the potential in people and encouraged them to fulfill their callings. People say they see a lot of him in me.
In the time following James' departure, I was a mess. I cried myself to sleep for about two weeks. It may sound a little vulnerable to say, but its true. I felt like I was suddenly without a safety net. I felt alone at work. I felt like I had lost a friend. I was scared. As time has gone on, we've been able to keep in contact and stay good friends, but I won't say I don't miss being able to hang out with him every week.
It was about midway through a song called "The Wind and the Waves" last night that I began to grasp the Ecclesiastes verse. I'm so thankful for the time that I was blessed to work with my friend James because I wouldn't be the man I am now if it weren't for him. Although it was hard to say goodbye, its become pretty clear to us that it was necessary in God's eyes. The church plant is being blessed with some unbelievable opportunities, making it obvious that God was and is deeply involved in what is happening in Orange County. Although I still miss our pop-punk jam sessions, conversations about scarves and pointy toed shoes, and the privilege in leading the 530 service with him, I can say I'm excited to see what God does through him in Irvine, Costa Mesa, and the surrounding areas.
Our season of serving together has come to an end for now, and it has been one of the most memorable times of my life. Hopefully in the future we will be blessed to serve together again, but until then we'll continue to serve where God has called us to be.
As we watched the first act go on, James and I stood in the back of the worship center, catching up and talking music. We were shortly thereafter joined by a friend and coworker of ours, Rachel. After talking for a while, she departed, but not before remarking about how having both original James and the "new James" on her team for this year's event had set the bar at a new level. I smiled, thinking to myself, "Just like old times..."
I was just reading Ecclesiastes last night and specifically was captured by the "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens..." I was actually going to blog about my epiphany on it today. It's kind of interesting how God can speak to many people in similar yet very different ways. Thanks for sharing Matty!You're pretty good at this :)
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