Practice Produces Results

Image via WikipediaOur grandson, Jackson, loves to sit at our piano and let his fingers play up and down the keyboard. Because of his lack of skill and training, the result is not very melodic, even if it is often passionate and loud.

With a slight bit more skill than Jackson, and a little training, when I play the result is a little better, but not much. (Not nearly as loud or passionate, however.)

Our daughter Emmie has had as much training as I have had (though not quite as long ago) and has a bit more skill. It shows in the results.

My husband has had little training but has great skill and is very gifted. He can sit at the piano and play any song he has heard, or any he wishes to create, as if he has played them most of his life. His fingers move with speed and accuracy the sound of which has resulted in many pleasurable moments in my life.

Our daughter Marie has had training, has great skill and is very gifted. When she plays, I stop whatever I am doing to listen. The speed at which her fingers can produce notes astounds me. Even the most complicated music does not seem to phase her.

In our Christian lives, our utilization of the Bible can often be like the piano in our house. Some seem to have a great gift for delving into the Scriptures and gleaning from them the truths they contain. Others can only read the words and wonder what they must mean.
I think there are definitely some for whom the Lord has called to studiously devour the Word. For the rest of us though, I think it is meant to repetitively read it until it has been hidden in our hearts. It reminds me of a piece of music I learned to play as a teenager. I played it so much then, that even now I can sit at the piano and play the majority of the piece, it was so etched into my brain.

If we do not know the Scriptures, it is usually not because they are too complicated for us to understand, after all, the Bible is the only book that comes with it's author to illuminate it for us. If we cannot understand it, perhaps we have not been asking the Lord to open our eyes to the truths the pages contain.

Or perhaps, as one character in a favorite book of mine says (speaking of her piano performance), "I have always supposed it to be my own fault -- because I would not take the trouble of practicing." Perhaps we just have not spent enough time in the Scriptures to be well-versed in them, familiar with them and to have them hidden in our hearts.

Let us decide, that like the Psalmist David, we will hide the Scriptures in our hearts.

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee."

Psalm 119:11