The Most Vital Member of the Band

Last night, I fulfilled a bucket list item that I didn't expect to fulfill. 

I saw Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band perform at ACL Live in Austin, the final stop of their tour.  So I can finally say that I saw one of the Beatles perform, which is very cool!

Ringo was joined onstage by Steve Lukather, the lead singer and guitarist from Toto, Hamish Stuart, the lead singer, bassist, and composer from the 1970s group Average White Band, and Colin Hay, the lead singer and guitarist from Men at Work. 

It was an incredible treat to see a stage with so many of the voices and musicians from bands I grew up loving, but one of the All-Starr Band members stood out for me more than any of the others: Warren Ham. 

Warren Ham has been part of the bands Kansas and Toto off and on for decades. He has recorded and been on tour with Cher, Olivia Newton-John, and Donna Summer, among others. 

The dude plays every instrument you can think of and then some. I saw him play different saxophones, the clarinet, flute, harmonica, guitar, tambourine, and more.  He was the vocalist who was featured whenever there was a call for someone to hit the high notes. 

I also discovered he is a devout Christian and has recorded numerous rock and worship Christian albums.  

As I watched the show and observed Ham doing his thing on every song played, I realized that the show would not have happened as flawlessly and seamlessly as it did without him.  He worked harder than anyone else, filling in all the spaces that required something special to make the songs sound amazing.  

I've been reflecting on this all morning, and I have a strange connection to make between Warren Ham onstage last night and the Holy Spirit.  Bear with me a bit. 

I believe that the Spirit is the "glue" of sorts that holds everything in the Universe together, the energy that flows between us and everything around us.  The Spirit is the flow that enables us to tap into the Divine within us and in all of Creation. 

The Spirit fills in the spaces where something special is needed to make the song that God is constantly singing over us even better and more interesting.  

The Spirit is the Warren Ham of the Trinity, is what I'm saying.  

If that feels like a bit of a stretch, so be it.  I happen to like this analogy, and I'm going to stick with it.  There's something beautiful about it, and I love that the revelation came to me from a live show with a former Beatle and a bunch of old guys jamming and doing their thing with joy. 

As an old-ish guy, that in itself is wonderful to behold. As I get older, I'm learning more about the work of the Spirit in my life.  

This has been a real gift to me that I am cherishing in this chapter of my life.  I want to do plenty of things, create, experience, and the like, and I trust that the Spirit will be there to fill in the spaces of my own songs to sing.  

If the songs you are singing feel flat, or they've lost some of the layers that once made them sound incredible, there's an answer for you in trusting the Spirit.  

Open yourself up to that flow, the energy that fills you with the defiant hope to keep singing. Trust that those layers, those special instruments, will be there as the Spirit delights in your song.  

The Warren Ham of the Trinity will be there to make it awesome.  

May it be so, and may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.