There it sat.  Almost 50 years old, and it had never been tuned.  It looked fine on the outside, but it sounded terrible when it was played!  It was not living up to its full potential.  Even my 12-year old granddaughter knew something was wrong.  “This piano sounds terrible.  It is off pitch!”  She had complained.

The doorbell rang and in walked the older gentleman who was going to restore it to its intended purpose.

For over an hour he struck the keys and tightened the strings.  When asked how he did it, he said, “I can just hear it. . . I’ve had years of practice. . . Started in 1955.”

Finally, he quietly put away his tools and sat down on the bench.  Music filled the room—beautiful, breathtaking.  Overwhelmed, I sat down to listen to the “master.”  What a privilege!  The old piano had never ever had such glorious sounds emanate from it.  The swell of “We Shall Behold Him,” and” Edelweiss” filled the entire house.  Tears filled my eyes so glorious was the music.

I had seen first hand how the “master” had taken an old piano that had never been played by anyone but novices and young children and released it to make the sounds its creator had intended.

As the serenade ended and he left, I could not help but think of how we, as Christians, need the Master’s touch to help us become all we can be.  We don’t like being “tuned.”  “Stretching our strings” is painful but necessary for us to live up to the purpose for which we were created.    “Tuning” may involve trials, troubles, and temptations or it may involve a call to do what seems impossible; but it is through these times of “stretching” that Jesus can use us for his glory if we but let Him.

Sadly, fear and lack of trust may cause us to refuse the stretching of the Master as we hold on tight to our old ways and patterns of living.  Sometimes we think it is easier to stay in the safe routines of life rather than yielding to the Master’s touch and call.

One of my favorite stories in the scriptures is of Moses and his burning bush experience.  God was getting ready to stretch Moses in a mighty way, but Moses was afraid.  He used excuse after excuse trying to avoid God’s call.

“But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” (Ex. 4:10 NLT)

“But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”  (Ex. 4:13 NLT)

Afraid, intimidated, content where he was, Moses did not want to follow the Lord’s call.

I think I like his story so much because I can identify.  When I was a high school senior, I fled an English classroom in tears because my voice quivered as I tried to deliver a report aloud, but I’ve learned since then that God uses the weak.  He has a wonderful sense of humor.  He took a timid girl and gave her a career in education and ministry where she had to talk.  Who would have imagined it!

To this day, I still have a bit of stage fright when I speak, yet I am reminded of what Paul said about the thorn in his side and I am encouraged:

“Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.  Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.  That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  (2 Cor. 12:8-10 NLT)

As I reflect on what master tuner Roy West did for my old piano, I am reminded of a beautiful poem:

The Old Violin

The Touch of the Master’s Hand

‘Twas battered and scarred,
And the auctioneer thought it
hardly worth his while
To waste his time on the old violin,
but he held it up with a smile.

“What am I bid, good people”, he cried,
“Who starts the bidding for me?”
“One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?”
“Two dollars, who makes it three?”
“Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three,”

But, No,
From the room far back a gray bearded man
Came forward and picked up the bow,
Then wiping the dust from the old violin
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet
As sweet as the angel sings.

The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said “What now am I bid for this old violin?”
As he held it aloft with its’ bow.

“One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?”
“Two thousand, Who makes it three?”
“Three thousand once, three thousand twice,
Going and gone”, said he.

The audience cheered,
But some of them cried,
“We just don’t understand.”
“What changed its’ worth?”
Swift came the reply.
“The Touch of the Masters Hand.”

“And many a man with life out of tune
All battered and bruised with hardship
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd
Much like that old violin

A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on.
He is going once, he is going twice,
He is going and almost gone.

But the Master comes,
And the foolish crowd never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the Touch of the Masters’ Hand.

– Myra Brooks Welch

What about you?  Whether you consider yourself a grand piano or a violin or a toy drum, rest assured that the Master can tune you to perfection and use you as a part of the most beautiful symphony that has ever been composed!

If God is calling you to a task, he will prepare you—stretch you—to complete the task.

Twice Jesus told his followers that “anything is possible” through Him.

First, in speaking with his disciples, “Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”  (Mark 10:27 NLT)

And then, in speaking with a man who had brought his troubled son to Jesus for healing:

“The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:22-24)

When we are afraid and filled with doubt, perhaps we need to remember the plea of this father: “I do believe but help me overcome my unbelief.”

What is the Lord calling you to do?  Will you allow him to “stretch” you and enable you to live up to your full potential?  May we be like Isaiah who ran toward—not away—from God’s call:

 Then I (Isaiah) heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8 NLT)

“May the Lord lead you into a greater understanding of God’s love and the endurance that is given by Christ.” (2 Thess. 3:5 GNT)

Thanks for reading!  I’d love to hear from you!