Guitar Strings

Changing the Strings – Day 2

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He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him. Psalm 30:3 NIV

Once the old strings are unwound and removed from my guitar, my next step is to put the new ones in their place. One by one, they need to be seated into the saddle and their pegs pressed firmly into place, or they will pop out as they are tensioned. Then each string must be fished through the end of the tuning peg and properly wrapped. This tedious process reminds me of our first wobbly steps as a baby. We are not yet confident of our footing, nor sure of our balance, so our moms and dads are vital to gently helping us to try and try again. Just like our parents, God is also gentle with our fearful first steps of faith on new paths that He puts us on. We may not yet understand where He is leading, but we need to learn to trust Him as He slowly tensions our new strings in their places.

When after a great deal of twisting and turning the guitar strings begins to sound their proper notes, my job is still not done. First, those strings must be played a bit and then given one more final tuning. In that same way, God’s discipline isn’t over when we start out on a new commitment. As the sign I once saw outside a church said, “Thanks for inviting me to the wedding. Don’t forget to invite me the marriage.” – Jesus

Thank God that He only asks us to take one step at a time and He is patient when after a few faltering steps we stumble. He knows that we are not ready to run, just as my guitar with its latest set of strings is not prepared for a concert. Instead, that is when God draws us near, listens closely to our tone, and does some more fine tuning, till we are playing the notes He has in mind. Is God changing the strings in your life today? Have some old and dear things been broken, taken out of their places, or lost? As the words of the old hymn “He Keeps Me Singing” tell us: Jesus sweeps across the broken strings of our life to awaken a new song. Don’t give up or give in to doubt or depression, God is not through, He is just preparing you for a new set of strings and a new melody that He has chosen for you to play!

"All my life was wrecked by sin and strife
Discord filled my heart with pain
Jesus swept across the broken strings
Stirred the slumbering chords again."
He Keeps Me Singing
Luther Bridges 1910

Are You Having a 5-String Day?

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments 
While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. 
Mark 14:3 NIV

Every Thursday I have great fun visiting the memory-care wing of a local nursing home and singing for my friends. But last week, as I slid my guitar out of its case, I was dismayed to see that one string had come completely off its tuning peg. Being presented with the options of, putting my guitar back in the case and singing acapella, spending several minutes trying to replace the string, or playing with just five strings, I chose the latter. Sheepishly I explained to everyone that things were going to sound funny and then set off plunking away the best I could. Yet, in spite of my embarrassment, we actually had a great time praising God together. We sounded far from professional, but I felt sure that Jesus didn’t mind my out-of-tune instrument any more than our off-key voices.

Now playing with a guitar string missing was challenging, but God reminded me that for some of those folks, even their best days were five-string days, at best. I remembered that the songs we sing are a treasure, not because of a nicely tuned instrument, but because of the joy they bring to the heart of God. We are all like the alabaster jar in today’s verse. We have a precious treasure inside. Even though our jar may begin as outwardly beautiful, it is also fragile and aging. What matters is not how impressive our outside looks, but the value of the treasure on the inside. And it is only when our jars begin to crack, that the fragrant treasure hidden on the inside can pour out and its sweet fragrance fill the room!

Lessons From my Washburn (guitar)

/ pastorpete51 / 6 Comments 
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: Romans 12:5-6 a NKJV

I always look forward to the insights that Beth Allison shares over on her blog Lessons From a Lab I, on the other hand get to learn a few things from my Washburn. Now I freely admit that the photos Beth shares of her doggie friends, Adi and Summer are far cuter, than my guitar, but God uses what we each of have to teach us His truth, and it was kind of neat how changing and tuning six strings yesterday reminded me of today’s verse.

First, every string is different. Each of us requires our own individual amount of tension if we are going to sound our note. When we go around expecting others to be singing the same as us, we will not only be sorely disappointed, but we will also miss out on enjoying being ourselves. Some folks are low and slow, like Brother Low E, and others are temperamental and creative like the Mr. B-string, (whose soulful pitch sounds wonderful but goes out of tune the fastest!)

Secondly, each string has its own time and place to be playing during the song. Sometimes the lower strings remain silent, while the highest notes are trilling away, and yet they cannot leave the fretboard in a huff, demanding more attention. They must patiently wait their turn to become the baseline, that will help me to transition from the verse to the chorus. Yes, there are happy tunes when everyone gets to alternate in upbeat joyful praise, but best of all, are the moments when they join together in a final harmonic ring!

Last, I learned that the place assigned by the world to my strings is the exact opposite of how I relate to them. You see, Brother E, who is my lowest note is called my sixth string, and High E, who is his little sister, is called first. Though she may put on airs, when others call her the finest string of all, I would remind her that, from the musician’s point of view, it is the lowest string who is closest to me and nearest to my heart. But whether we are first or last, the most wonderful thing is that we are all his instrument, who He created and tuned to play a song of praise to Him today and forever!