2 Timothy 1:7 (New International Version)
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but
gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Imagine this. A concert violinist is performing a
difficult piece in front of a large audience. Suddenly there is a loud snap
that reverberates throughout the auditorium. The audience immediately knows
that a string has broken and fully expects the concert to be suspended until
another string, or instrument, is brought to the musician.
But instead, the violinist composes herself, closes her
eyes and then signals the conductor to begin again. The orchestra resumes where
they had left off and now the musician plays the music on three strings. In her
mind she works out new fingering to compensate for the missing string. A work
that few people can play well on four strings, the violinist with the broken
string plays on three.
When she finishes, an awesome silence hangs in the room.
And then as one, the crowd rises to their feet and cheers wildly. The violinist
smiles and wipes perspiration from her brow. When silence returns to the great
room, she explains why she continued to play in spite of a broken string.
"You know," she says, still breathless, "sometimes it is the
artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have
left." *
We know what she means, don't we? Maybe we've lived most
of our lives and we have only a little time left. Can we still make music?
Maybe disease has robbed us of our capacity to work. Can
we still make music?
Perhaps a financial loss has left us impoverished. Can we
still make music?
Or maybe a meaningful relationship has ended and we feel
alone in the world. Can we still make music?
There will come a time when we all experience loss. Like
the violinist, will we find the courage to discover just how much music we can
still make with what we have left? How much good we can still do? How much joy
we can still share? For I'm convinced that the world, more than ever, needs the
music only you can make.
And if it takes extra courage to make the music, many
will applaud your effort. For some people have lost more than others, and these
brave souls inspire the rest of us to greater heights.
Just how much music can you make with what you have left?
Dear Lord we pray that we would take what we have and
continue to make music rather than make excuses. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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