Living by Grace

by on

I’ve  always wanted to play an instrument, but have never made it past a casual attempt. Oh, how I’d love to learn to draw and paint and crochet. In fact, there are so many things I’d love to learn to do, and I might even follow through if only they came easily. If I could snap my fingers and suddenly play like Mozart, or paint like Thomas Kinkade, or sew like those ladies I see at craft shows. But I’m not willing to do what it takes to succeed, and so, ten years from now I’ll likely still be sitting behind my computer listening to other musicians on Pandora saying, “Wow, I wish I could play.”

But do I really? (To my writer friends, I touched on this subject on Thursday at Words That Keep. Thinking this nugget of truth quite likely applies to all areas of life. Pop on by and let me know what you think…and…what you’re going to do about it.)

Today’s post comes from a fellow Living by Grace hostess, Maria I. Morgan. (In fact, today’s her day to host, so stop on by!)

A Lifetime of Practice

The music is beautiful. Her fingers move effortlessly over the black and white keys. She’s practiced for years and it shows. There were times over the years that she wanted to quit. But we encouraged her to persevere. Piano lessons and countless hours of practice have made the difference.

Tackling an instrument is challenging. It takes a willingness to learn from the teacher. It takes discipline. It takes practice. And more practice. Hours of practice. Years of practice. Our daughter, Riley, has been able to use her talent to accompany school and church choirs, in addition to playing for our families’ personal enjoyment.

There’s an unmistakable similarity between the musician and the child of God. I have to be willing to learn from the Master. He bids me to humble myself before Him, “Submit yourselves therefore to God” (James 4:7a; KJV). An attitude of humility is pleasing to Him. “…God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6b). It is when I’m aware that I don’t know it all that I’m in the perfect position to learn.

Discipline is required. Oh, the lessons He desires to teach me, if I stay pliable in His hands. “But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand” (Isaiah 64:8). Discipline to stay in the Potter’s hand rather than jumping down. Discipline to stay in His hand with my eyes focused on His, refusing to look at all the other lovely vessels He’s crafted. Discipline to allow Him to lovingly mold me into the shape of His choosing, rather than suggest to Him the type of vessel I should be.

Christ speaks to the level of discipline required of the child of God. “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). For the serious musician, other pursuits have to take a back seat. The same is true of Christians. Am I denying myself? Am I daily taking up the cross He has for me? Am I following Him closely? What is my top priority? My agenda or His? All questions that help to determine how disciplined I am.

Practice, practice, practice. I’m thankful that our Heavenly Father graciously gives us a lifetime of practice. He knows our “frame; he remembereth that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14). He is the ultimate encourager. “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9). He forgives us when we fail. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). He graciously allows us to start over. “And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:11)

Ultimately, our lifetime of practice will end in perfect ‘music’ in heaven. Until then, stay humbly submitted to the Master and continue to practice. Your ‘music’ will be ‘heard’ by others. May the sweet sounds of a life lived for Christ, lead others to Him!

Maria I. Morgan is an inspirational/devotional writer, whose passion is to share the truths of God’s Word with today’s generation. She is a regular contributor to Around About Cumming, Cumming Patch, and Living by Grace. You can visit her on the web Tuesdays and Thursdays for a life lesson you can relate to. Maria lives in Georgia with her husband, Steve, daughter, Riley, their two dogs and cat. You can find Maria on her blog Life Lessons.

by on

When our daughter was young, I was the “Mommy-and-Me-Jamboree” addict. I cherished every moment–every giggle, every storytime, every craft activity. And I loved to turn everything into a party. Why craft alone when I could invite the mom’s club to join us? Why play tea without making it a tea party? (That was the cutest event ever!) Birthday parties? Planned, themed, decorated to the hilt and packed with games. All to see my daughter’s face light up and her eyes squinch up behind a cheeky smile–priceless.  

Then one day it hit me. What if I started throwing parties for God? Meaning, what if I found a way to do what I loved, organizing fun and creative events, to reach others and build up the body of Christ? A short time later, I launched a “Family Ministry”.

Our first event was a skating party. Next, a scavenger hunt at a local trail, followed a month later by a pizza pool party. Yep, it was a blast!

Last week I taught my Sunday school class what it means to do everything for the glory of God and I challenged them to think about those things they love to do. Often we think serving is something we have to do, and we don’t really think in terms of those things we love to do. But I believe God is glorified when we’re on fire, not burned out. When you’re doing what you love, no one has to nudge or guilt you into doing it. The act of service bubbles out of who you are.

Let me give an example. There’s a woman at our church who loves to bake and shop. Not unusual, I know, and upon first glance, we might assume these actions are trivial. But she found a way to flip them–to use them for God’s glory. Our church has formed a relationship with an orphanage in El Salvador and this year, we want to buy Christmas gifts for all the girls. (If you want to help donate to our ongoing orphan ministry, shoot me an email at jenniferaslattery(at)gmail(dot)com) So what did my dear sister in Christ do? She baked cinnamon roles and sold them to co-workers as a way to help fund this endeavor. Then, she perused the stores, using her $10 and 50% off coupons to stretch each dollar.

*As a side note–if you live in the Midwest and are looking for something romantic to do this Christmas, join us for a charity dinner at the Gladstone Community Center in Gladstone Missouri from 6-10pm on Dec. 17th and help bring hope to El Salvadoran orphans. Make a weekend of it and stay at the Plaza. Shoot me an email for more info.

I know another woman who loves to craft. Today, she runs Christ’s Kitchen, an organization that teaches homeless and impoverished women to make craft items and soup mixes, which sell in various stores throughout Washington State. Others who love to knit make scarves for the homeless and our service men. Some sew quilts. Others coach sports teams, host youth game nights, and women’s luncheons.

It really isn’t about what you do, but about using what you do–whatever you do–to bring glory to God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (NIV)

Love this song! (And the video’s hilarious!) Sweeping up Cheerios, flipping burgers, wiping snotty noses, speaking in front of an audience of 10,000–God sees it all the same as long as everything you do is done for God’s glory.

What about you? what do you love to do and how can you do what you love to bring God glory? Join us at Living by Grace as we talk about how to live the ultimate adventure by doing everything we do for God’s glory.