LISTENING FOR THE PEDAL...

Over at A Holy Experience, Ann has been challenging us to listen. Personally, this is a difficult thing and something that is an example of a Romans 7 conflict that goes on within my soul. I am a naturally contemplative, melancholy person. One of my favorite book series is Anne of Green Gables. I've started reading through it again and I never tire of reading the descriptions of the PEI countryside. Wow, I'd really love to go there someday. Anyway, the descriptions she uses draw out from inside me this yearning for simplicity and silence.

So why do I strive to cram each silence with noise every day?

Why is there a radio and an ipod speaker on my kitchen counter?

Why do I immediately turn on Rush Limbaugh at noon?

There's the struggle. I want silence. I like contemplation. But something inside me cries out for the distraction. It's like I'm constantly looking for a babysitter for my brain. I've probably trained myself to want this over the years. The culture doesn't help either. This is why I've never gotten a cell phone that does more than call. I know what an iphone would do to me. Not pretty.

When I was reading Ann's post, the music on her site was on in the background. One of the songs came on and I could hear something in the background of the song. I've heard it before on a couple of Fernando Ortega songs.

It's the sound of a piano pedal being pushed down and then released.

If you play the piano, which I don't really claim to - I say that I merely play "at" it, you know that when you push down the sustain pedal the dampeners inside the piano are released from the strings and any sound you make will keep ringing. It sounds great when you're playing a chord but if you keep playing note after note and those notes don't agree with each other, pretty soon you'll get a messy mass of sound.

So I heard the piano pedal. Every few measures it would be depressed and then released allowing the chord to be renewed. So I thought about that. Would it be a stretch to think that God could be speaking through that? Is there any spiritual analogy?

"The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease; His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3

His mercies are new every morning. They are renewed. And what about this?

"And from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." John 1

Grace upon grace.

We mess up all the time. James says that we all stumble in many ways. We need grace. We need forgiveness constantly.

And He gives....and gives.....and gives.....and gives...............

The piano pedal renews the chord and gives the music a sweet sonority. The Lord gives grace and forgives and renews a right spirit within us so that we may be cleansed of all unrighteousness (Ps. 51; 1 John 1:9).

So that our lives might be a sonorous praise to His glory and goodness.

And here's another thought to bring it to the level between us and others. When things start getting messy in your relationships. Between you and your spouse. You and your teenager. You and your parents.

Give grace. Let go and forgive.

This is what God has done for us and continues to do with us until He transforms us into the likeness of His Son.

Praise be to Him!