String That Instrument and Sing That Song

Dear Family,

It is so good to be back after spending a wonderful time of vacation with Jean and our family at our cottage on Lake Ontario in upstate New York. In 77 years it hasn't changed much and maybe that is why we all enjoy it so much. It's a quiet, restful haven where I have spent parts of every summer of my life. However, it is good to be home again, for home is where the heart is, and my heart rests and resides within the New Monmouth family of faith. Having said this I am happy to be home and, I am eagerly looking forward to all the exciting events and activities that are being planned for the fall.

A number of years ago I preached a sermon on stewardship in which I told the following story related by Dr. Louie Evans, a well-known pastor in the Presbyterian Church. Dr. Evans was visiting a mission station in Korea where a medical missionary friend of his had invited him to witness an operation involving major surgery in a make shift tent in an out of the way area. The heat, as Dr. Evans describes it, was stifling. The smells emanating from that tent were oppressive. Hour after grueling hour, the steady, calm determined surgeon worked on an old peasant woman. After seven hours the doctor stood up and drew back his mask and sighed, " Well the job is done now", and together they returned to his modest missionary office where Dr. Evans asked, "I am curious Dr., how much do you get paid out here in Korea for an operation like that"? The surgeon answered, "Well, to begin with I get this." He picked up a dented copper coin.  "This poor old woman came in here some time ago with this old coin and said,"Dr., do you suppose this would pay for the operation"? I answered, " It so happened it is just enough. So to begin with I get this piece of change". Sitting down and watching tears well up in the eyes of the doctor, Rev. Evans asked, "Is that all you receive"? "No," the doctor said, "I get far more than this. I have the wonderful feeling of knowing that for seven hours Christ is living in these ten fingers. I have the priceless awareness that these hands become the hands of Jesus Christ healing one of his children."

This story reminds me of an old poem I once read.

"Spring is past and summer is gone.

Winter is here.

And my song that I was meant to sing is still unsung.

I have spent my days stringing and unstringing my instrument."

How sad it is to live life with such purposelessness, and yet there are many for whom life is like that. Their life is nothing more than a constant treadmill of action with little or no meaning or purpose. Their days are spent "stringing and unstringing their instruments." Why, because they have never "sang the song" that God intended them to sing. They have never learned the joy that comes from serving others. That is where our joy and satisfaction comes, and it comes when we are doing what this medical missionary was dong, serving others, giving ourselves away in the service of Christ, yielding our hands and heart to Him allowing them to become His hands and His heart. That is when we truly find the abundant life of which our Savior speaks.

The next time we begin to feel sad or sorry for ourselves, may we be reminded of this dedicated minister of healing and the wonderful satisfaction he derived from simply being used to bring healing to one of God's children. That is the privilege that every believer possesses, so let us get on with our work, and in so doing discover the wonderful satisfaction that comes from serving God's children.

And those who do "sing their song" will quickly discover that "It is truly more blessed to give than to receive."

See you this Sunday.

Pastor Tom