TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS….

An average life span of a Filipino is 66 years of age. That is how long we are expected to live the lives God has given us. It has been two months now since we are holding a monthly Kerygma Feast in Bataan. To prepare for this event, I was glad to be given the task to lead the Worship Ministry. A lot of blessings, and blessings in disguise were showered on my feet. One of the magnificent blessings is that I was reunited with two old friends from my younger years, Elison and Junjun. We were together as members of the choir of el shaddai, pilar chapter. I was one of the singers, Elison was the lead guitarist AND junjun is the bass guitarist. We were not ‘seriously’ close then, maybe because we were still young. That was when KIsap MATA was still played on the air. You can guess how young we still are today. ;0
When we were preparing to establish a band for the FEAST, I thought of contacting these two to help out and play their respective instruments. During our first practice, we saw how much have we changedإ And how we have not.
I remembered very well how ELison told me how thankful he was that he will be able to play again for the Lord. HE missed it so much, he said. All those years we have not sang at El Shaddai, he has spent his talent and time singing in bars, weddings, and gigs, to help his supportive wife make ends meet. I saw in his eyes how much he has really missed singing for the Lord. I saw how through his musical abilities, we were able to put up the band. He patiently arranged the music and taught the other instrumentalists who are not yet very well-versed in playing their instruments. The usual Eli, he always wanted to play and sing the best he can for the Lord.

One time, a sister encouraged him to play more for the LORD’S service adding that the Lord will give him more gigs that will add to his income. The first monthly feast, he was not able to play because he was operated on his appendix. After that, he continued helping out with the practice and was so really eager to play during the feast. Before the AUGUST 7 feast, an unlikely incident happened. HE Was shot on the bar he was singing and was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. It was a big shock to all of us. It is not enough to say it was so sad.

Elison was there to help us put up the band but he never actually got to play on the events. During the FUNERAL mass, the deacon who gave the last blessings for him said how Elison will now be playing endlessly in heaven. That’s just what he wants to do anyway. And that sister was right. The Lord gave him more gigs…in heaven.

We will always appreciate the enormous contributions he has made for the Worship MINistry. His musical talent will always be remembered. He will always be an inspiration to us. Eli, play on….

Thinking of him while writing this article, I remembered how he thought the days he played for the Lord were his best days, I asked myself what were the best days of my life. And I remembered the verse above. Teach us Lord to number our days, that we may always live each one for You alone.