The Rest is Part of the Making of the Music
He withdrew... to a
solitary place (Matthew 14:13).
There is no music during a musical rest,
but the rest is part of the making of the music. In the melody of our life, the
music is separated here and there by rests. During those rests, we foolishly
believe we have come to the end of the song. God sends us time of forced
leisure by allowing sickness, disappointed plans, and frustrated efforts. He
brings a sudden pause in the choral hymns of our lives, and we lament that our
voices must be silent. We grieve that our part is
missing in the music that continually rises to the ear of our Creator. Yet how
does a musician read the rest? He counts the break with unwavering precision
and plays his next note with confidence, as if no pause were ever there.
God does not write the
music of our lives without a plan. Our part is to learn the tune and not be
discouraged during the rests. They are not to be slurred over or omitted, nor
used to destroy the melody or to change the key. If we will only look up, God
Himself will count the time for us. With our eyes on Him, our next note will be
full and clear. If we sorrowfully say to ourselves, "There is no music in
a rest," let us not forget that the rest is part of the making of the
music. The process is often slow and painful in this life, yet how patiently
God works to teach us! And how long He waits for us to learn the lesson!--John Ruskin
John Ruskin, 1850. |