The Right Instrument 8-30-09
Yesterday, I was watching a video clip my wife had forwarded to me of the men’s quartet “Il Divo” singing Amazing Grace (one of my favorite hymns for both song quality and meaning), when I was struck with an understanding of a Bible passage. There was a part where the group was accompanied by a bagpipe (complete with Scotsman in kilt). This was the part which helped illuminate scripture: I could think of no musical instrument more suited for that piece than the bagpipe. It is almost as if the music was written for the bagpipe, with it peculiarly mournful tones. I was struck with the thought, “there must be, for every instrument, one piece of music for which it is the best.
”Now, what does this have to do with scripture? If this makes sense for instruments, then doesn’t it stand to reason that it is that way for people? Or put in proper order, maybe the reason we make instruments uniquely suited for particular sounds and musical arrangements is because we are made by our creator to be uniquely suited for particular purposes. Is this idea scriptural? Let’s see:
The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” (Acts 9:11-16 NIV)
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. (2 Timothy 2:20-21 NIV)
But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John. (Luke 7:30 NIV)
“For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed. But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay. (Acts 13:36-37 NIV)
These are just a few selected passages. There are many more in the Bible on this topic, mainly because the Bible itself deals with the “why are we here” question as a major theme! The first passage comes from the account of Saul’s conversion from persecuting Christ to evangelizing for him, in which Ananias was convinced that God has a particular mission for Saul, one for which he was made. The second passage was written by Paul (who had been Saul) in which he expresses this very idea of being an instrument with a purpose. The third passage is one in which we are told that the Pharisees had a purpose given them by their creator, but they rejected it when John came out of jealousy and pride. The fourth passage is an account in which Paul stood up and preached the Gospel, showing that David had a purpose from God and fulfilled it; this was a different thought on the relevance of David than what the Jews of Paul’s day believed about David.
In fact, how many of us think of David as “King David,” as opposed to “David, the man after God’s own heart?” How many of us regard ourselves from the world’s perspective rather than from God’s? Far too many, I think, including myself. I have had many dreams (still do) and have pursued them as I could, but not many have come to fruition (and certainly not as I had planned). Yet my life is far more fulfilling to me now than in the past, and I have hopes for the future being even better yet. This fulfillment and hope have little to do with my plans and actions in support of those plans; actually, most of my plans have completely fallen apart and I can see with hindsight that had they actually succeeded my life would be far less than it is now. The one responsible for this is God, making my life what he wants it to be. When I have bend myself to his plans, it is a gentle process; when I have not, the process is quite a bit more painful and embarrassing.
I believe that everyone has a purpose for which they were created. It is too bad that most will reject that purpose for themselves. Our young people, in particular, are coming to awareness of the need for a purpose in very dangerous times. Our young men debase themselves with drugs, alcohol, sex, and money. Our young women, in the name of freedom, prostitute themselves and make themselves into spiritual “chew toys.”
But I still have hope, as should you, for though our problems seem insurmountable and our ferocious lion of a foe seems undefeatable, the one true God will redeem his people and will restore back to us far more than we could ever lose here. We must simply believe in him and hold fast to his teachings, showing his light to those around us. Let us do that, knowing that the Conductor of Creation made us into the right instruments for his purpose.
-Charles Peterson