Celestial Gifts
It is one of the worst sounds in the universe... an instrument being played around on by an individual without musical ability. Call me a snob, I don't care, it hurts deep in my spirit. I get incensed when someone says that they've never had a lesson, perform horribly on an instrument, and then have the audacity to try and blame God for the debacle. "God gave me this talent." No, sir or ma'am, He didn't.
God-given Talent
I recently felt the prompting of the Spirit in my own life showing me how very much like these non musical performers I had become. I was trying to force my will through in a situation that I had no business trying to control. I gave lip service to the fact that I did not have the ability to run things on my own, but did not feel I had the time to "wait' on the Lord. So it was in very quick order that chaos and confusion reigned supreme. It was also in very quick order that I went crawling to the Creator to make things right. The sufficient grace that He always provides was once again more than enough to set things in order, amaze me anew, and tweak the imperfections in my life so that I grow a little more like Him.
Divine Revelation
I imagine my efforts were much like the offering of a non musician on an instrument intended for beauty giving off offensive and ugly sounds. I also see that if the Master Musician is so merciful to me, then I had better be careful how I approach the offenders of my delicate aesthetic sensibilities. If He is willing to be patient with me then I can get over myself and become more of a teacher than critic with those dear, sweet, sincere souls... who are making a racket.
posted by RJ at
Saturday, February 28, 2009
2 Comments:
RJ-
Ah,yes! I heaer you on the self-sufficiency thing. I, all too often, fall into that pit. Funny how God has His way of lovingly putting us in our place again - He really is very serious about us depending on Him. Wish I could just learn the lesson and get it over with!
AA
I hope you will consider this comment as a perspective...
Wonder my friend, if you've ever seen a real home missions work where there is no one with the talent and musical education you deem so necessary. A new work may have two or three regulars outside of the pastor and his family, especially at first. They feel blessed when all three are there at one time. Perhaps someone can play with one finger, or maybe two - it's that or no musical accompaniment at all. Since even one finger playing can help a group stay on pitch, they feel blessed to have someone who's trying.
I believe it is possible, even probable, that the Lord would anoint limited talent or even no talent. Does not the Word say He chooses the weak things to counfound the wise? Does not the Word say He chose the foolishness of preaching to save...? When a soul comes to the altar in one of these home missions churches, is it not because the Holy Spirit draws them? My friend, is it possible that the Lord is somehow restricted to using trained and talented people exclusively? or that He cannot get His message across without such assistance?
I don't hear about many talented and trained people going out and volunteering their services in some back of beyond home missions setting. Seems they're all sitting in a mega church somewhere waiting their turn on the keyboard or praise singing rotation. Wonder why?
I do not mean this as an affront - only that there is another perspective - one I have lived long enough to see and appreciate.
mk
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