Mar
15
Written by:
Route 365
3/15/2010 5:00 AM
by Laurie Moulton
In today’s passage, we find Saul looking for “someone who plays the harp well.” When I read those words, it immediately brought to mind my friend Sarah, a professional harpist in the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra. When I first met Sarah, she was studying music performance at Julliard School of Music – her instrument, the harp. Up until that time, my perceptions of the harp consisted of thoughts such as “the harp is the instrument that cartoon angels always play,” or “the harp is the instrument that gets lost in a symphony orchestra,” or “it’s the instrument that was toted around during Bible times because they didn’t have any better instruments.” That all changed the moment I heard Sarah play for the first time. I can’t think of the words to describe what it was like to hear those sounds emanating from that instrument; it was purely magical. Sitting next to a gifted harpist is perhaps an experience that few have enjoyed. The nuances of that instrument are like nothing else.
I can now also imagine how appealing it would be to call upon the best harpist around to come and play during a stressful time. To be honest, as a mother of small children, I would love to be able to escape at times and sit and listen to my friend Sarah play. That sounds like the ultimate peaceful experience – especially when my little ones are demanding my attention, and I long for a moment of peace. Obviously that solution isn’t practical (especially since she lives on the other side of the world), but I often long for that ideal peaceful experience. I think that Saul was also looking for a way to escape and find peace. He thought he would find peace by seeking out a harpist to play for him. However, Saul found something much more than a harpist. The description of David in this passage includes the phrase “the LORD is with him.” One of God’s true followers had entered Saul’s life.
In my own life, I know that God has often sent godly people my way at just the right moment. It often happens when I am seeking a solution to the stressful situations in my life – that is when God meets me. The reality is that the ultimate solution to finding peace in my life is not by escaping in the peaceful sounds of a musician’s music. The ultimate solution is a true encounter with the God of the universe.
Your fellow traveler,
Laurie
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1 comment(s) so far...
Re: 1 Samuel 16:14-23 : A True Encounter with God
When I read the passage from the Bible and read Laurie's comments of her friend Sarah, a question came to my mind. And the question was: Did young David know beforehand that he was going to later on in his life be playing his harp to subdue a trouble-hearted King of Israel when he first began learning and practicing his harp? Of course not, but God, in His infinite knowledge and having the almighty power, knew that David will succeed King Saul long before David's name has ever been mentioned in the Bible. By playing his harp to Saul, there were two things that God allowed to be accomplished: One being that Saul "liked him very much" and two, David "became one of his armor-bearers". Only God knew in advance that David will use his skill-sets to serve the Almighty God and for His Kingdom's purposes and not just for the earthly kingdom.
This begged a question in my heart and that is "How is and will God use my own skill-sets" to not only please those around me but serve the purposes and the will of God's Kingdom's work? Just like young David did not really know at that time what God was working through Him, I am wondering in my own life what don't I really know but that I am serving God's bigger purposes for His Kingdom in my every day ministry work?
This question brought me to humbleness because right before I read today's passage, I was feeling very unsure if the Inner City Bible Study I was leading for the teenagers in the rough Ave D neighborhood was doing any good for God's Kingdom work since so few have been coming this year. I realized through today's passage that only God would have the answer and all that I am supposed to do is to "play the harp" to the "trouble-hearted" teens in Ave D. And, God will eventually write the story of His work and will let me know later on when I see Him face to face!
By Insung Kim on
3/15/2010 8:04 AM
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