Growing up in a musical family, we had many different musical instruments around our home, ranging from trumpets, violins and keyboards to an old accordion and even an autoharp my mother played. In our house today, you will find guitars, a cello and a grand piano that requires its very own room.
Along with the gift of music, so graciously given to us by our Creator God, comes the wide range of sounds and creativity that can be expressed though these instruments. At any time, you can hear a classical sonata, a show tune, or a worship song coming from the piano room. There are many varieties of styles and techniques possible with a piano, but even if the door is closed, you will know that the sounds are produced by a piano, not a trumpet. I will occasionally sit at the piano bench and put my fingers to the ivories. My wife often jokes that I play the piano like a trumpet, and yes that is true! But no matter how misguided my piano skills may be, I cannot make those strings produce the brassy tone of a trumpet. The piano is one of the most complex musical instruments that exists and is designed to make its own unique sound. The intricately designed hammers attacking the strings of varied length and gauge vibrating and resonating with the sound board produces a sound that is unmistakably piano. When this intricate design is met with the trained hands of a concert pianist, beautiful music is created.
Did you know that you were built with a particular sound in mind? So often we see people trying to create sounds with the output of their lives that they were simply not created to make. Maybe they are embarrassed about their sound, or they are envious of the sound another person makes. I am not talking here about our singing voices, I am referring to how we live our lives, how we relate to people, and how we relate to God. God created each of us with unique gifts and with a specific purpose in mind. It is a wise and beautiful design. In Ephesians 2:10 we are called “God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” The word “handiwork” has also been translated as “masterpiece” and comes from the Greek word from which we get the word “poem.” Think of it, we are the intentional work of God’s hands, a masterpiece from the master builder, the epic poem crafted by the divine artist.
When we look at ourselves this way, we begin to understand our incredible value in Christ, because of Christ, and for Christ. We were all designed as unique instruments, with a unique sound, and for a unique purpose. And when God plays into the instrument of our lives with His creative and beautiful plan, we are most satisfied as we sound the way we were created.
Remember the words of the Psalmist,”For you [God] created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:13-14)
