Thursday, May 28, 2015
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Back in Kindergarten we all had to play a little instrument in this band our teacher put together. I got to feeling the kids with the musical ability got nice things to play. Looking back, I realize that those of us who were musically incompetent were assigned to "play the sticks." I got two drum sticks. All we had to do was hit the floor with them. See? Yeah, it didn't take a whole lot of ability.
Now, since my son's ministry has included his participation in some Christian bands, I have since learned that the person with the drum sticks is not a musical klutz after all. See, my son says as the drummer goes, so goes the song; so goes the band. There was this drummer he raised up for their outreach band. He had a tremendous sense of rhythm, no matter what the audience did, no matter what rhythmic detours another band member took, no matter what the volume was, no matter what the style, Jerry always kept a steady beat. He kept the whole band together by providing a steady rhythm.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Man of the House - the Family Drummer."
It's clear from the Bible who was supposed to be the drummer of the band in every family. Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Genesis 3:8-9. The first family; Adam and Eve sinned that first awful sin with the tree in the garden. It says, "And then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day. And they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden, but the Lord called to the man, ‘Where are you?'"
Wait a minute! It was Eve that lost the beat; the steady rhythm of the commands of God in a way that He had designed them to live. She sinned first. But who does God come looking for? For the drummer - the man. See, God had given the beat to Adam, who was supposed to communicate to Eve and she lost the rhythm. When Eve missed it, God comes looking for the person He holds ultimately responsible for the condition of the family-the man.
It's amazing how the very first chapter of human history demonstrates a principle that remains true with over seven billion of us around now. If Adam is where he should be, Eve's in good shape. Cain and Abel, the children, they're doing well. And the garden is working beautifully. But if Adam's messed up, Eve's going to be confused about who she is. Cain and Abel are going to be in bad shape. And the garden's going to be a mess.
Sound like our world today? Women caught in an identity crisis. Who should they be? What should they be? We have confused, disintegrating children; a world that's pretty much a mess. Everybody in the band is making up their own song, and the result is just noise. How did we lose the beat? It all goes back to the one God designed to provide a steady rhythm for the family to follow - the man of the house.
If you're a man, be sure you're stepping up to what God holds you responsible for; setting the spiritual and emotional climate of your family. You are the thermostat. If you wonder why your wife is acting that way, why your child is acting that way? Why don't you start by looking in the mirror? The way your Creator set it up, Eve and Cain and Abel follow the beat we play.
If you're an unmarried woman, seek a man who is a steady spiritual drummer, and don't get desperate. Don't settle for less. You'll regret it your whole life. If you're a married woman, you're not going to be able to nag your husband into being a spiritual leader. Pray him into it, and gently thank him for every glimmer you see of the man you need him to be. See, the beat we're meant to live by is in the heart of God. It's to be faithfully and steadily played by the man in each home. And then the rest of the band follows him.
Remember, as the drummer goes, so goes the music; so goes the band. As the husband goes, as the father goes, so goes the family.