PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT?

“When you present grain as an offering to the Lord, the offering must consist of choice flour. You are to pour olive oil on it, sprinkle it with frankincense, and bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests. The priest will scoop out a handful of the flour moistened with oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn this representative portion on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.”  (Leviticus 2:1-2 NLT)

Musical perfection does not exist. We were taught “practice makes perfect” --  that’s a lie. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t try though!

I didn’t know this in my college years. Our grades depended on “perfection.” We worked for applause. And so, when notes went wrong, even if the error was small, to me it was failure. That’s even tougher for a church musician. You get one shot, but end up reliving the mistake. I couldn’t even take a compliment, because I focused on the flaw. You know that’s pride, right?

It’s taken quite a few years to unlearn that. For me, practice is like gathering up the grain for an offering to the Lord. The more I practice, the more “choice grain” is chosen. I don’t hastily throw it in, just to fill it up. While the world only sees those magical five minutes, … hours, weeks, months have preceded. I want my basket to be filled with the BEST I can give. The work isn’t for people….. it’s for the Lord.

The gift I receive in return is that I no longer focus on the flaws because I KNOW He’s deemed it WORTHY. 

 -- Allie Sewell McGuire

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WORSHIP AND STUDY GO TOGETHER

Now we must not worship without study for ignorant worship is of limited value and can be dangerous.  We may develop "a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge" (Romans 10:2) and do great harm to ourselves and others.  But worship must be added to study to complete the renewal of our mind through a willing absorption in the radiant Person who is worthy of all praise. 

Study without worship is also dangerous, and the people of Jesus constantly suffer from its effects, especially in academic settings.  To handle the things of God without worship is always to falsify them.  In worship we are ascribing greatness, goodness, and glory to God.  It is typical of worship that we put every possible aspect of our being into it, all of our sensuous, conceptual, active, and creative capacity…

Worship nevertheless imprints on our whole being the reality that we study.  The effect is a radical disruption of the powers of evil in us and around us. 

-- Dallas Willard (1935-2013) in “The Divine Conspiracy”

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THE MOST WORTHY

During one of the crusades, Philippe Auguste, King of France, gathered his noble knights and men to call them to be strong in battle. He placed his crown on a table with the inscription “To the Most Worthy.” He pledged the crown as the prize to be given to the bravest fighter.

They went to battle and returned victorious and encircled the table on which the crown had been placed. One of the nobles stepped forward, took the crown, and put it on the head of the King, saying, “Thou, O King, art the most worthy.”

On the great Day you’ll hear billions of voices make the identical claim about Jesus Christ. “Every knee will bow to the name of Jesus – everyone in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. And everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” (Philippians 2:10-11 NCV)

Multitudes of people will bow like a field of wind-blown wheat, each one saying, “Thou, O King, art the most worthy.” 

-- Max Lucado in “God’s Story, Your Story: When His Becomes Yours”

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