Overtones

"The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come." Rev. 22:17. Everyone who hears is to repeat the invitation. Whatever one's calling in life, his first interest should be to win souls for Christ. He may not be able to speak to congregations, but he can work for individuals. To them he can communicate the instruction received from his Lord. Ministry does not consist alone in preaching. Those minister who relieve the sick and suffering, helping the needy, speaking words of comfort to the desponding and those of little faith. Nigh and afar off are souls weighed down by a sense of guilt. It is not hardship, toil, or poverty that degrades humanity. It is guilt, wrongdoing. This brings unrest and dissatisfaction. Christ would have His servants minister to sin-sick souls.

The disciples were to begin their work where they were. The hardest and most unpromising field was not to be passed by. So every one of Christ's workers is to begin where he is. In our own families may be souls hungry for sympathy, starving for the bread of life. There may be children to be trained for Christ. There are heathen at our very doors. Let us do faithfully the work that is nearest. Then let our efforts be extended as far as God's hand may lead the way. The work of many may appear to be restricted by circumstances; but, wherever it is, if performed with faith and diligence it will be felt to the uttermost parts of the earth. Christ's work when upon earth appeared to be confined to a narrow field, but multitudes from all lands heard His message. God often uses the simplest means to accomplish the greatest results. It is His plan that every part of His work shall depend on every other part, as a wheel within a wheel, all acting in harmony. The Desire of Ages, p. 822, 823.

Observation: Recently I went to see the movie August Rush, about a boy who grew up as a ward of the state of New York and at the age of 12 sets out to find his parents who are both musicians. The movie's basic theme is that their is a grand symphony of music that we hear with our hearts... And if we follow the music it will lead us to those who we love. Its a nice thought, and has some merit in Christian circles. Rob Bell has a powerful teaching on this idea in His nooma video called Rhythm. It addition, Ellen White makes this powerful observation in The Desire of Ages:

The humblest worker, moved by the Holy Spirit, will touch invisible chords, whose vibrations will ring to the ends of the earth, and make melody through eternal ages. The Desire of Ages, p. 822, 823.

In this grand symphony, Christ is the conductor, The Holy Spirit is the Musician, and God the Father is the audience. We are the instruments. As we make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit, He will play a melody so beautiful, so glorious, so stirring, that it will lead others to the foot of the cross. He will use our lives to create sympathetic overtones in the lives of those around us.

A sympathetic overtone is when you strike one note on a guitar, say the high E string and it causes another string to ring. You can do the same thing on the piano if you hold down middle C and give a staccato strike to the C key two octaves lower while continuing to hold down middle C. Even though you didn't strike middle C, you will hear it ring because the C note two octaves lower created a sympathetic overtone in middle C.

When we allow the Spirit of God to strike our lives, when we give him the freedom to move in us, to play out His melody of grace in our lives those around us will resonate. People who we thought were beyond God's grace, who we deemed unreachable, will begin to harmonize with the work of God in our lives. The key to this is remembering that we are not the musician, but the instrument. Remembering that we can't change anybody... That people change as the Holy Spirit changes us; as He makes melody with our lives.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to hand over the strings of my heart this morning. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that He might play a melody beautiful and sweet. A melody in harmony with Your will and desire for those who need to resonate with the song You have given me to sing. A song of Your salvation, a song of Your transformation. And Father, as I sing may they find themselves ready and willing to join the choir of praise to Your glorious name, may they find their hearts resonating with Your Amazing Grace. Amen!