What score could record the notes of my three score years and ten? What notes could tell the tale of a life lived in many ways?
It would begin with one exultant chord of love and then fall almost into silence…
a single note,
becoming two then four
a growing tune, simple and unadorned
played in quiet stillness and refuge.
Then the tune is heard by others and plays aloud
to the delight of those who hear it play.
It runs fast and high, leaping and jumping around the stave –
barely resting –
exploring tone and tune,
rhythm and rest
growing in depth
more notes joining and being played.
The tune matures and grows and
I begin to add notes and scales and harmonies of my own.
At times I play alone…
His hands withdraw to let me play as he has taught,
At times I play alone for I have pushed him aside.
Each discordant note I play stands out
and grieves the one who hears,
Yet when his hands again pick out his notes,
my own are drawn into His melody and transformed, redeemed.
What different moods and tunes and notes could tell each moment of my life?
A slow sad minor chord will tell of pain and sadness,
sometimes the music will fall almost into silence,
one note repeated out of desperate longing
and taken up at last in an expanding theme of hope.
The joyful joining of two melodies in one great theme
and then two simple melodies join and grow,
adding their own themes to my tune
as I also become a part of theirs
And through all the notes which tell of hope and pain,
of joy and desolation
there is a theme which runs
and binds all others into one great sweeping theme.
The tune which speaks of love and hope and heaven
And then I know my tune will fade and quiet,
the other tunes will leave and take up music of their own
and the music of my life will end with one soft concluding chord
But one day I know that all the themes of my life will be will be played aright by him who heard each melody I sang and made each one a part of his great theme.
The music of my life played out to worship him who plays all tunes
and then I shall be caught up in his great harmony
to sing with him the song which never ends.
© 2011 – JJ – Church Family Member – Published by All Saints Church with Permission
