Posted in Spiritual Life
I absolutely love to listen to harp music. There is something very soothing and peaceful about the sounds of the strings as they are plucked. I enjoy the sound of the harp so much, several years ago I decided to learn to play this lovely and intriguing instrument myself. It is one of my hobbies that bring me the most enjoyment. It has also given me wonderful opportunities to minister within the church. There is nothing quite like the quiet strains of a beautiful old hymn sounding from a harp to bring a worshipful atmosphere to a church service. At home, when I am feeling stressed or just need a few minutes to gather myself, I will often sit down in front of my harp and play. Generally, that is all it takes to melt the stress away and put me in a better frame of mind. Obviously, it is very important to keep my harp in tune. In fact, it is absolutely essential to the ultimate enjoyment of the music. Anyone who has ever played a stringed instrument knows just how much the quality of the music depends upon the proper tuning of the instrument. In the same way, Christians must allow the Lord to tune our hearts.
My very favorite hymn (and incidentally the first song I learned to play on the harp) is "Come Thou Fount". The first line reads "Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace." God wants to tune our hearts to His. He wants to stretch us, just as the strings are stretched against the sound board of my harp. Yes, the sound board strains under the pressure of the strings pulling against it. The strings are under great stress. But that is when they have the sweetest sound. That is when the tone is clearest and the song is truest. The song that comes forth from the strings of a well-tuned harp is bright and lovely and pleasant. May our lives ring true like a finely tuned instrument of His grace. May the pressure of the trials of life make the tone of our hearts clear and bright. May the sounds that emanate from our lives be sweet and lovely and reflect the beauty of His work in our lives.
