A BROKEN HARPSICHORD
Late in life, Beethoven spent hours playing a broken harpsichord. The instrument was worthless. Keys were missing. Strings were stretched. It was out of tune. Harsh on the ears.
Nonetheless the great pianist would play till tears ran down his cheeks. Looking at him, you’d think he was hearing the sublime. He was. For he was deaf. Beethoven was hearing the sound the instrument should make, not the one it did make. (Source: Max Lucado, When God Whispers Your Name, 85)
In many ways we’re like that defective instrument. Broken, stretched, out of tune, missing a few keys. But the Lord hears our “music,” much as Beethoven perceived the sound produced by the malfunctioning harpsichord. The tone our life produces is a sweet melody to our Lord, like a fifth-grader squeaking a tune on the clarinet for her parents.
Psalm 100:1 instructs us to “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord” (KJV). I’ve sat in front of a few precious saints in worship services who have mastered the art of “joyful noise.” It really messes up my efforts to harmonize. But my selfish annoyance couldn’t run more counter to God’s hearing, who perceives the sound as a sweet melody. Hebrews 13:15 describes our “noise” as “a sacrifice of praise”—a metaphor for the melody of our lives.
One of the Jewish sacrifices was a burnt offering, in which the meat was burnt to a crisp. Ever gag on the smell of burnt meat? It’s awful. Yet more than forty times God describes this sacrifice as “a sweet aroma.” Certainly not to our olfactory nerves! But to God, any sacrifice we make for him is the bouquet of a surrendered life. Philippians 4:18 describes our service to others as a sweet-smelling aroma. When we visit a shut-in, set up chairs for a meeting, cook for a potluck, host a small group, or… the Lord hears our joyful noise as a melodic harpsichord.
Our world programs us to try harder, do more, and be better. Isn’t it refreshing to know that our Father doesn’t demand perfection. He isn’t impressed by the quality of our performance, but by the character of our soul. Even when we squeak out bad notes, God hears a beautiful symphony. Our best efforts will always fall short, but when we allow him to press the keys of our heart, our broken harpsichord produces beautiful music to his ears.
Principle: No matter how our “music” sounds to those around us, to God we are a melodic symphony.
Ponder:
At what times do you, or have you, felt like a broken harpsichord?
What promises of God help you see yourself as a beautiful instrument of God?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Romans 8.
Prayer: Loving Father, it’s such a blessing to know that to you the music of my life doesn’t sound like a broken harpsichord. You hear my melody as a beautiful symphony.
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