Learning the Music

Sometimes people tell me things that easily become illustrations of the spiritual life.
One of our church members, Richard Slieter, remembered that his daughter had been learning to play viola in the school orchestra and every year the concert would begin with Pachelbel’s Canon in D. He recalled being a delighted, supportive and proud parent, even as these inexperienced, screeching sounds came forth from the viola. Each year the concert would begin again with Canon in D, and as the students, and their daughter learned the instruments and the music, the screeching lessened until the music was heard in its intended clarity and richness. Progress was made.

That’s how it is with our spiritual growth. A disciple is a student and a learner. We are all sacred music students! God has written this rich music for us and offers its vision to us and usually we are able to hum it or hear it deep in our minds (and souls) long before we are able to duplicate it with our own abilities and desires. Yet we pick up the available instruments of our lives, and begin to play the songs of faith, and hope and love. We begin with our screeching sounds that may seem hardly recognizable at first, to be the music of God. But God is that loving, encouraging parent or that music teacher who knows where we can, indeed, go with all of this! God still hears the score perfectly, beyond our abilities of the moment.

We are gathered again and again, year after year, or Sunday after Sunday so we can rehearse, listen to the music, catch the vision, encourage one another; sometimes with private lessons, but most often in the shared concert or “concerted” effort of being the church.

John Wesley , the founder of our Methodist way of being the church, spoke of “going on to perfection.” Maybe that means that we are, indeed, a work in progress, but there is a vision to that work and that progress. So we keep rehearsing toward it, and living into it. And sometimes, for a least a few measures, or perhaps on just some notes, we do get it right! And God keeps encouraging us with the music. Maybe that’s the opportunity represented by a New Year ; another rehearsal, another concert. Maybe you and I need to hear the call of the song again for 2008. Maybe we need to get back into the rehearsal schedules of prayer, worship, study and service; and re-visit the deeper desires of our hearts. Remember when you first got inspired by this Divine music? God is not the harsh music critic who will throw us off the stage. But more like the smiling, understanding parent, who wants us to keep growing and trying to reach the music suggested in the Holy Song Book.
So Happy New Year! Screeching is allowed.. I have, and will continue to do it often. But don’t give up. I have heard some wonderful notes this year in Park Church. We can play the tunes. Maybe that’s why the Christmas music, if we honor the 12 days of Christmas, will always be the music that takes us into the New Year calendar. Christ is born. “Sing unto the Lord a new song”. Pay attention to the conductor! Play on!

For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophet seen of old
When with the ever circling years
Comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendors fling,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.

Another music student,
Pastor Rory

FYI This entry is also going to be my January church newsletter article