Sunday, November 7, 2010

CONCORDIA

Concordia College is in Moorehead, Minnesota - just across the river from Fargo, North Dakota. It’s a bleak and cold part of the country, especially in winter. All year long, the city of Moorehead anticipates Concordia's annual Christmas concert. It features a huge choir and full orchestra in the college’s big hall. Every year they create a unique background for the concert - a 100 x 30 foot mosaic.

Six months prior they rent an empty building and begin creating the mosaic. Thousands of people - from elementary students to senior citizens - paint the mosaic. They paint by number on a large-scale design that has thousands of tiny pieces. Day after day, month after month, one little painted piece at a time, the picture gradually takes shape.

When the mosaic is completed, they place it behind the choir at the concert. It has the appearance of an enormous stained-glass window. Every year in the middle of the summer in Moorehead, Minnesota, thousands of unknown, ordinary people paint a tiny, insignificant tile. Six months later, the result is a beautiful masterpiece.


Our tiny choices and tiny moves toward God may not seem like much. But someday, you and I will stand together in the great cathedral of heaven - and up front - right near Jesus, we will hang the most magnificent mosaic we could ever imagine, made up of thousands and thousands of tiny, obedient responses we have made to God’s love in our lives.


And be blessed.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Was that the gist of your message today? I am so very sorry that I didn't go. I woke up at 4:30 am and then by the time church came around, I was sleeping. you're always so awesome. Be glad when online sermons are fixed.

Anonymous said...

This is so beautiful, I set it as my desktop wallpaper. I love the pretty colors.