“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Dr. Isidro Ayabar grew up in Spanish Harlem as the oldest child of Dominican parents. His love for God and music were instilled early in his life. His unique gifting finds its way to worship on the platform of Colorado Community Church. Isidro converts a guitar into a string quartet, but with a mix of R&B, funk, rock, pop, and classical. He’s nearly invisible on the back of the stage, but his music lifts the congregation to thrones of glory… and I for one clamor to be at the front.
Two weeks ago at Colorado Community Church, as a part of the Mother’s Day celebration, a choir of adolescent voices swirled like so many angels. Energy made up for what fidelity could not. Smiles raced from the stage to the congregation in contagious and abundant proportions. And then, as a portion of one of the concluding songs, a young guitarist stepped from the back of the platform to the front. This young grade-school-aged boy held an electric guitar in his hands. Fear and nerves washed across his face in the moments of awkward silence before the introductory notes from a nearby keyboard energized the group to press on. The young boy began to strum as he cautiously placed the fingers of his left hand on the appropriate strings.
While I’m quite certain that throughout the piece of music a note or two from the young lad’s guitar could be heard, it was most predominantly the guitar sounds of Dr. Isidro Ayabar that floated throughout the sanctuary. And as these perfect tones moved throughout the congregation, buzz could be heard and a growing confidence could be seen on the face of the young front stage guitarist. Skilled and precise guitar rifts became the property of the young artist. He owned what he could never have played, but the congregation oohed and aahed at the appropriate times, which simply fanned a growing confidence and delight in the young boy.
With the conclusion of the piece a crescendo of applause reverberated throughout the auditorium – and as the young guitarist returned to the back of the stage, Isidro graciously gave him a “high five” for the work that, in fact, Isidro had done.
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
When God listens to the music we play it’s the guitar of Jesus that He hears. As we strum and stroke and awkwardly place our fingers… by grace God hears the beautifully tuned and brilliantly played music of our Master.
“In him we have become the righteousness of God.”
In Jesus, through Jesus, with Jesus, because of Jesus… our efforts inherit the purity of Jesus. Grace does what practice never could. Grace does what legalism never could. Grace does what unskilled and broken hands never could…
“Skilled and precise guitar rifts became the property of the young artist. He owned what he could never have played…”
In Jesus we play like Dr. Isidro Ayabar and the congregation hears the music of God. Is it any wonder why we worship?
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