THE CONCERT MASTER

The lights dim and the orchestra becomes silent. An expectant hush falls over the hall, and the eyes of all the symphony members will be fixed on the door. The door will open, and the concert master will enter carrying a violin. The chamber will erupt into applause as the members of the orchestra and the audience greet her. She bows to acknowledge the honor shown to her, but she immediately turns to the orchestra and raises her arm. The orchestra is now as one entity, its attention focused on the concert master. She points her bow to the oboe, and it sounds an 'A' note...

Proper tuning cannot take place when there is a cacophony of sound, and the first challenge is often found in the accomplishment of quietness. As the orchestra hushes eminent to the entrance of the concert master, so our hearts and spirits must be hushed before the Concert Master will enter. It was a challenge to find quietness when I had young children, and I would sometimes take them to a play area in a park or a mall and find a comfortable seat where I could relax and 'regroup.' As my children became less dependent upon me, I faced other demands in my life; and these demands became more complex. I found that it was harder to quiet my spirit when the confusion and disturbance was within myself. I like to 'make sense of things,' and this always leads to unanswered questions. Many circumstances and decisions in life seem to be random and not easily understood. Friends hurt and die, our loved ones face things that are unfair or don't make sense; and we question the meaning of life. It is time for us to find a quiet place and reconfirm our faith in God and in God's wisdom that is far above our finite knowledge. We need to examine and to validate our commitment to God as the One Who is all-wise and loving. Failure to find quietness in these circumstances will fling us into doubt and bitterness. When struggling with life and its issues, it is right to seek God's peace within our hearts. It is right to ask God for His peace.

I have a memory indelibly impressed in my mind when our family had been involved in an automobile accident. There were some injuries, though none of them were serious. When I would try to sleep at night, my mind and emotions would relive the scene and recreate circumstances, often taunting me by adding gruesome and horrible details of what could have taken place. After some sleepless nights and troubled days, I tired of the churning feeling deep within my spirit, and I simply asked God to give me peace in place of the turmoil. A fiery orange sunrise was just beginning as I felt the peace begin in my spirit, and I never struggled with the scene again. Life has brought many sleepless nights and troubled days, and I have called upon the concert master to quiet my spirit so that I could tune to Him.

Third Assignment: Seek peace deep within your troubled spirit so that you can tune to the Master.