we love you

I went to choir practice this evening.

I've intentionally not joined the church choir so far because I sing all day and sometimes the last thing I need or want to do is even more singing. Plus I'm a bit of a commitment-phobe, not wanting to bite off more than I can chew outside of my job. 

Tonight, though, I was not a regular member of the singing ranks. I was an instrumental soloist - a violinist, to be exact. I approached our music director after service one Sunday and told her I was absolutely itching to play for worship in some capacity. She invited me to play with the choir for the Ash Wednesday service. The choral anthem for that evening has two solo parts in addition to the piano accompaniment and of course the choir, and I'll be playing one of those solos. 

It was earlier today when I realized that the director had a lot of faith in me, as she'd never heard me play before. She trusted my word that I could play the part she'd given to me, and had faith in my self-professed abilities and music degree. 

I also realized that tonight's rehearsal would be the first time the choir would hear me play. They, too, had to trust that I wouldn't suck, relying on the director to find quality soloists. The attention of all 20-30 some choir members would be on me, waiting expectantly to hear this newcomer of whom they'd heard and seen around recently. 

We went through the piece once through, addressed a few spots, and ran it once more. 

Somewhere during this brief rehearsal, I mentioned aloud, a little sheepishly, that this was the first time anyone gathered in the choir room had ever heard me play. 

Then one man responded,

It's okay. We love you. 

I smiled humbly. 

In my head, I was thinking,

Wow. 

What? 

I mean, I sort of know a number of the choir folk from coffee hour, adult ed classes, and being frequently recruited to sing when I'm heard in the congregation. 

But a statement like that? 

We love you. 

I've kept thinking about the man's response. 
(Clearly I've thought about it enough to write about it here.)

In many ways, this simple expression of love is a prime example of God's love. 

God listens to our prayers but doesn't even need to hear them first before God says to us, "I love you."

Even though the choir hadn't heard me play before, and despite my mistakes and imperfect tuning, I know they still appreciate me and think of me highly. God's love is not conditional either - nothing we can do or say (or not do or not say) can change God's love for us. 

You don't have to do anything to earn God's love. 

This brief moment in the church basement reminded me of this simple yet vital truth. 

It's okay. God loves you.