Runaway Camels and Grace for Worship

A church in Washington State puts on a large Christmas production every year at the holidays.  The production ends with a large processional of cast members and animals making their way to see Jesus in the manger.  When they arrive, the cast bows in worship, kneeling before the Son of God.  It is a very moving image and a great moment of worship at Christmas.

A few years ago, one of the animals broke character during the processional.  A stubborn camel threw a fit, pulling its handler to the ground.  After being drug a few feet, the handler lost control of the reins.  The camel fled the scene, hooves clopping across the parking lot pavement, out into the darkness of that holy night.

           

Some may have been disappointed by the mishap.  The worshipful atmosphere was lost.  The hundreds of audience members in attendance were distracted from Jesus at the very moment they were supposed to focus on Jesus the most.

That mishap teaches us an important lesson about worship.  We need God’s grace in order to worship.  In our broken world, there will be mishaps.  We are all people trying to redirect our attention toward Jesus in the midst of a world where things go wrong.  That is ok. 

Jesus told the Apostle Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you.”  I think Jesus says that to each of us when we worship too.  Though we may not get it perfect, God’s grace is sufficient.  The important thing is to keep turning your attention back to Jesus in worship, trusting in His grace. 

As you go through the coming week, root your worship in God’s grace.  Recognize that your prayers and praise don’t have to be perfect.  Then, keep on praying and praising.  As you do, you will find God’s grace is more than sufficient for life in a world of runaway camels.