By Tanya Jolliffe
I played the French horn in my high school orchestra. While the violins, trumpets, and flutes supplied the melody, the cellos, French horns, and middle reeds supplied the complementary harmonies. At the same time, the double bass, low brass, and low reeds would supply the base notes for a strong musical foundation. When I practiced my part at home it usually sounded odd because of the missing melody and the many measures of rest when I didn’t play. However, when I played my part with the rest of the orchestra, it added to the rich, full sound of the song. I loved orchestra class and really felt that I was living out Ephesians 5:19 by making music from my heart to the Lord.
The music that an individual uses only holds part of the song. The conductor, on the other hand, has the full score and they know exactly when each part should play to make beautiful music. Our lives are like an orchestra. We are each one tone that makes little sense when we play alone but when we mix our tone with the tones of others, there is beautiful music. God is our master conductor in control of knowing exactly when to include us in the music of life. When we try to do it on our own, we may come in too early or too late. However, when we follow the conductor, we play our part at just the right time.
Sometimes when you play a part in a song that isn’t the melody, you have to sit and count for many measures while you wait for your turn to play. It can feel that way in life too as the Lord asks us to patiently wait for the next time we are needed in his plan. However, Philippians 1:5-6 (NIV) assures us that at just the right time, we will be called on again. “Because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Becoming good at playing an instrument requires practice and obeying the conductor and the dynamics written in the score. The same is true for living a life of purpose. We must work out our salvation, learn to live lives filled with the fruit of the Spirit and obey the LORD and the instructions written in his word in order to become good servants ready to be used by the LORD. “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13 NIV).
The work of sanctification starts when we choose Jesus and continues until we are with Him in eternity. Working out our salvation is the process of sanctification, trusting God’s plan and our place in it with the continual progression of growth to live it out in faith. So next time you only hear part of the song, remember that the expert conductor is directing your part to blend with all the others to make beautiful music. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV).
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