May 28, 2020 (Thursday)
When I was in college there came about a small revival of playing the ukulele. I got one (they were dirt cheap) and learned a few chords. Right off the bat I found that I could accompany myself with 3 chords and sing “Five Foot Two,” reminiscent of the 1920s and easy to sing. I soon learned one more chord and sang “The Meeting in the Air” with 4 chords. I sang those two so much that people would turn around and go the opposite direction when they saw me strumming.
There was another boy on campus who played the piano extremely well who came walking up as I was performing for a couple of guys and asked to see my ukulele. He immediately played “Dark Town Strutters Ball” perfectly, playing Chet Atkins style of melody and accompaniment all at the same time. The same instrument that had been held by an amateur was now in the hands of a professional, and it did not seem like the same instrument.
That’s what the Lord did for the Apostle Paul. He was strumming his uke and singing “Oh I’m Glad to be a Pharisee,” when Jesus came along and said to Paul (then known as Saul), “Let me see that.” Paul handed it over and Jesus began playing a song so sweet that Paul immediately started playing that song for everyone to hear. The old instrument had been changed to a new instrument by the touch of the Master’s hand. Paul had a brand new life in Christ.
That’s what the Lord has done for us. He took the old instrument (our life) and retuned it so Jesus could play His songs, beautiful songs that we could not seem to play all by ourselves. We were amazed as our lives were changed into something new and useful to God.
May each of us say from our heart, “His Way is Mine.”
Dick Baker
1954
God has a place for every planned creation,
A path for every star to go.
He drew the course for every river’s journey,
Now I know he has a way for me.
I place my life in the hands of God.
Those hands so scarred now outstretched for me.
Where ever it may be, over land, over sea,
May thy will sublime, O Thou God divine, be mine.
Now in His will my soul finds life worth living,
Each day new blessings from above.
Tho shadows come and valleys seem unending,
Still I know He makes a way for me.
I place my life in the hands of God.
Those hands so scarred now outstretched for me.
Where ever it may be, over land, over sea,
May thy will sublime, O Thou God divine, be mine.
In case you did not see it:
http://charlesfake.com/index.php/2020/05/25/_o_beautiful_for_spacious/