Front row. Dead center. FREE TICKETS!!!! Message me if you’re interested!
My favorite question to ask people… “Who would be your perfect concert?”
Rules:
-there are three performances
-they can be currently dead or alive
-they would all perform in one night
-it can be a solo musician or a band
-any genre
1. opener to the opener
2. opener
3. main performance
My father said: Bob Seger, Bon Jovi, Def Lepard
My mother said: George Straight, Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood
My best friend said: Old Dominion, Brett Eldridge, Queen
Think about it, who would be your all time, most amazing concert? Where would you want to sit? Front row, dead center stage?
It would be one of the greatest nights of your life, right?
I’ve stood in line for over 2 hours in a the middle of a race car track outside the city where it’s just dirt under my feet for Uncle Kracker.
I postponed studying to go to a 3 hour Matthew West concert.
I spent plenty of money on tickets trying to get as close as possible to Billy Currington, Old Dominion, Toby Keith and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.
I even go as far to spend hundreds of dollars per ticket to sporting events. Trying to get as close as I can to the action. I want to be able to high five my favorite players. I want (I got) a guitar pick from somebody in Tim McGraw’s band. I have a strong desire to be up close and personal to these celebrities and soak in every ounce of magic they have for a few slight hours just to have a wonderful night.
However, the front row tickets… center stage… I get them every week. I have season tickets. The seats are practically reserved for me. I don’t need to find the best ticket deal online.
But I don’t use them.
Why will fight, work hard, and spend money on WAY over priced tickets for all those things yet, the ones I’m offered for free I don’t take?
Why is it that the front row of the church is always empty?
This isn’t an American culture thing, I have now witnessed it in Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Malawi, Zambia, Swaziland and Cambodia.
Nobody willingly sits in the front row, dead center.
For a message about OUR GOD, OUR JESUS, THE TRUTH!!! For worship songs that help us sing PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING!!! For all the good and fruitfulness that is provided to us EACH AND EVERY SUNDAY WITHOUT US ASKING! IT’S FREE!
But we don’t take it.
We don’t want those tickets.
When did it become fearful to sit in the front row of church?
Does it stem from not wanting the pastor to see you sleeping?
Do you not want the worship band to see that you actually never sing along with them?
Do you need to be able to cover your phone, because you’re watching Sunday football or playing Ballz?
I’m not here to condemn anyone.
I’m not here to shame anyone.
I will be the first to say I never sit in the front myself!
I will admit I occasionally snooze off or zone out. I doodle A LOT and I don’t sing along with the songs I don’t know very well.
However, it’s a question and one I’m currently pondering.
Why is it that the greatest gifts on this earth we could receive: grace, hope, truth, love that we are given at church we turn down the opportunity to get as close as possible?
How would we feel if the first three rows of the church were empty and the pastor announced a guest, then out came Jesus? What would we all do?
Now, how’s your favorite concert?
That dream one with the three of your all time favorite artist?
Or how are those court side seats? Worth it?
Where are our priorities as a church community landing?
I’m not saying where you sit makes you a better a Christian or that we need to be fighting for the front row.
I don’t even know the answer to the questions I’m asking.
However, I am asking where our thirst for the Lord is.
Are you in your late 40’s or 50’s and realize your fire went out when you were in college?
Are you in college and are completely lost, not even thirsty for more?
I don’t know where you stand, but I stand with arms wide open screaming, “I WANT MORE, LORD!”
So here I am.
I want to be on fire for You more than I am for my three favorite artists.
I want to be able to scream and cheer for You as loud as I scream “SKOL” every Sunday.
I want to fight for those tickets and spend as much energy on You, Lord, as I do for regular concerts.
1. Old Dominion
2. George Straight
3. Michael Jackson
But above all, You, Jesus.
Much love and many blessings,
Rachel
