Monday, October 23, 2017
571 - Truth Be Told
Spirituality Column #571
October 24, 2017
Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary
Truth Be Told
By Bob Walters
For the peace and comfort of those within earshot around me, I rarely sing
in church.
It’s a
cross I bear; I can’t sing. I try, I
can’t, I don’t. ‘Wish I could.
Many of
those nearest and dearest to me sing – or once sang – very well. Our Sunday lunch group / Small group – all
choir members but me – is a restaurant show-stopper when it sings Happy
Birthday to one of our gang (yes, it sounds best on my birthday because I’m not
joining in). My dad sang in his college
choir, and my wife toured Europe with hers. My younger son John sang in the top
notch Carmel (Ind.) High School “Ambassadors” competition show choir and
performed the character “Will” in the musical “Oklahoma.” My elder son Eric plays some guitar and has
led worship.
They say
talent skips a generation. Well, here I
am. Call me “Skip.”
Psalm 100
notwithstanding – “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. … come before his
presence with singing” – I enjoy and am thankful, really, listening to the
hymns and praises of singers who sing well.
My heart is singing right along, even if my mouth isn’t. But sometimes my lips can’t help but join in,
and Friday this past week was one of those times.
Halfway
around the world in the Muslim country of Qatar on the Persian Gulf east of
Saudi Arabia, Pam and I were visiting Eric and his wife Lindsey in Qatar’s
truly astonishing and opulent capital city of Doha where they live and
work. The Middle Eastern city’s amazing
sights, modern architecture, traditional culture, frenetic bustle of endless
infrastructure projects, and the anticipatory community buzz of prestigiously hosting
the 2022 World Cup soccer championship concoct a breathless civic pride and
sense of purpose not adequately communicated in words (or even in song). Doha is a happening place; Gulf States
political blockade – and 100-degree heat – or not.
And though
it was a great trip, this isn’t a travelogue.
It’s a Christian cry of hope from my singing heart, sharing with you
that on Friday – the Muslim world’s holy day, Friday-Saturday is their weekend
– we found in Doha a small but robust Christian congregation of 150 or so souls packed
into an unmarked building with whom we were able to worship. Even in a land hostile to the Gospel, the
Truth was being told.
We sang hymns we knew, praised the
Lord we know, heard the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached, and
prayed that others too would learn and know.
We shared
joyfully in this small but bright point of light, praising Jesus’ name and –
understanding where I was; the most meaningful part of the trip – joining these
resolute and courageous Christians lifting my own voice in song as loudly as I
could.
Truth be
told, it was a joyful noise.
Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) and wife Pam flew home Sunday, the first day of the workweek in Qatar
and the Muslim world. As they thought of stateside friends securely going to
Sunday church, Eric dropped them off at the airport on his way to work. Though
the Qatari government tacitly allows the Friday church to meet and operate, still,
the worship leader begins by being sure everyone knows where the emergency
exits are.
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