Heading Home

The year 2011 is over. Kaput. Though some unwanted stragglers roll over into the new year, last year has its headstone in the above image.

How did the year treat you? Did circumstances wear you down? How’s it going so far this year? Do you still have your spiritual edge or did you lose it?

In the Old Testament, the sons of the prophets grew in numbers and needed a larger place to live, so they decided to move beside the Jordan and begged Elisha to go with them.

When they reached their destination, they cut down trees to build their homes. As one man was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead flew off the handle and disappeared into the murky waters.

The man cried out to Elisha, “Oh, sir...it was borrowed!” (2 Kings 6:5b NIV)

Elisha asked, “Where did it fall?” After the man showed Elisha the place, Elisha cut a stick and tossed it into the water as a divine summons to rise again. Immediately, the axhead popped up!

“Grab it,” Elisha said, and the man recovered the sharp axhead.

Were you growing spiritually, but then, something happened and your passion for the Lord diminished? Has your spiritual edge grown dull? Maybe you lost it in the murky waters of life?

The enemy will tell you that your sharp, spiritual edge can never be reclaimed. He will convince you that your dream is gone, your gift is of no use to anyone, your desire has chilled, or your effectiveness is depleted.

Maybe it’s just that the trials of life have pulled you away from the Lord. Maybe your burning passion to serve the Lord has grown cold.

Don’t let the enemy or the difficulties of life keep you from reclaiming your fervor.

Last year’s borrowed edge may not work this year. However, you can recover that keen edge you once had; God can restore it for you. He still sharpens and strengthens His instruments and restores the passion and confidence.

Matthew Henry wrote, “God’s grace can thus raise the stony iron heart which has sunk into the mud of this world, and raise up affections naturally earthly, to things above.”

If you have found yourself amidst those muddy waters, God will raise you up. Scripture says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6 NIV)

If your edge or passion has dulled, cling to this thought: “He will lift you up, encourage and help you” (James 4:10b TLB), and “make you to be a new, sharp, threshing instrument.” (Isa. 41:15 Amp)

My prayer for you: May the Lord be your first love, may you regain your spiritual edge, and may you be a sharp instrument in the Lord’s hands.

In writing musical compositions, the composer will sometimes insert a mark called a “rest.” The dictionary defines a rest as an interval of silence between tones, marked with a symbol. Several signs are used and each one corresponds with a note value to indicate the length of the pause, in other words, a silence of a certain duration.

In the perfection of the composition, the rest must be observed, during which the beat still continues. After the rest, the next note is played right on time and the music resumes. The break is a part of the arrangement; nothing is lacking. On the contrary, interest and attention are heightened.

Each instrument must be played according to the timing and notes written for it for the melody to be evident. Though the composition for each instrument is different, each note written for that instrument must be followed in order for the conductor to orchestrate the harmony.

David knew his compositions needed these pauses, these rest periods, and sprinkled them throughout his psalms. The word is ‘selah,’ which, in Hebrew, means suspension or pause, to lift up or exalt, a technical musical term possibly showing accentuation or interruption.

God writes a composition for each of our lives for His purpose of alignment, direction, and harmony. And in His design of things, a rest is occasionally necessary.

When our lives are interrupted with some conflict, some heartache, it is as the pause in the composition, a break in the rhythm of things, and, if we are attuned and fitting into His timing and His plan, the sweet melody of life will play on. Each trial or anguish has its own length of duration, during which, God continues to conduct the rhythm of our lives. And the beat goes on.

As His instruments, we rest in His timing, His direction, stopping to pay attention to every stroke of His Conductor’s baton and following every note (as every command) of His Composition (His Word). When the hiatus is over, the harmony of life begins once again.

As the music of the composition comes from within an instrument, so the music of life comes from within your soul. The Master Conductor writes the composition then conducts it upon your life. Are you following His Composition or playing your own tune?

The Master Conductor says to you…

“I use only those instruments that are in tune with My great purposes.

“I choose My special instruments and give them the vigorous training that only I know they need. They must become very adept at the music they play. They must practice - practice - practice. Then and only then are they sensitive enough to know the tune I want them to play.

“Beautiful sounds can come only from one that is so completely attuned to My every wish, to each stroke of My baton. The pause for suffering makes very special instruments. They bring beautiful music not only to the ears of others but also to Mine. These are the ones that are very precious to Me.

“You are one of the precious ones. You are a special instrument that is being fine-tuned for great service, to play beautiful music for the Master Conductor.

“My harmony is the sweetest when played on the instruments that lay closest to My feet. And I know that you sit adoringly at My Son’s precious feet - in true worship and praise.”

The greatest joy, success, achievement, and satisfaction can only come when we learn our music lessons and allow God to conduct our lives. That we might make melodious harmony in before His throne.

“All these were under the direction of their father for the music in the house of the Lord.” 1 Chronicles 25:6a NKJV