Praise Him with Stringed Instruments

Thirty plus years ago I bought a guitar.  It sat in the corner of my apartment like a decoration left over from Christmas.  I sold it, but soon bought another.  I would go through this ritual continually ever so often.  I have bought records, books, cassettes, videos and DVD’s on how to play.  Looking back over my life I should be an outstanding guitarist if any of that worked.

About two years ago I got the itch again to play the guitar.  I thought that maybe now I had matured and might even be able to bar an “F” chord by now.  I decided to dust off the last good guitar I bought and take lessons from an experienced instructor that maybe could help me fill in the blanks of my knowledge and help me to actually play something.  I love blues music and jazz and had hoped to master the genre in some way so that I could actually play publically with a group some day.  That all changed about a year ago.

In the process of selling personal items so I could afford a wedding ring for my wife in celebration of our twentieth anniversary something miraculous happened.  I ended up finding the ring I wanted and didn’t need to sell anything else.  But in my advertising of stuff I held dear I met a minister of the Gospel that no longer needed a beautiful American Fender Stratocaster guitar.  We traded anyway on the condition that if I liked it, I could keep it.

The guitar was gorgeous and made me feel like a real musician.  I had only had cheaper copies of the good guitars before this.  Then an amazing thing happened.  I prayed to God that what I wanted to do with this was to be able to play in church.  It was not special to anyone but me.  I didn’t want to be a Jimi Hendrix or a BB King but I wanted to be able to play along with a praise team, a choir or a gospel group.

I brought the guitar into church one day and after worship tried to play with our keyboardist and drummer.  It was one of the greatest moments of my Christian walk.  I found out that I have an ear for music.  I could with practice, play “BB King like” with the musicians.  You would not think that something so small as that would mean as much to this pastor as it does.

When I told my guitar teacher that I didn’t practice the worksheet he gave me but had played for 40 minutes after church last Sunday he looked at me skeptically.  The next week I did it again and one day he tested me, having me follow him as he played in various keys.  He said I was gifted.  I winked and said I was blessed.  Eventually, I tried to play during our praise and worship part of the service.  I was fearful that it would bother the congregation.  It was odd for the pastor to pull out an electric guitar I am sure.  It is so contrary to what we were accustomed to.

It was a big deal with the drums appeared a couple of years ago too.  It was great when we gained this master musician a few times a month.  To us it just kind of happened but I know the Lord was involved.  Playing a guitar in this traditional Baptist church was a little awkward.  I was nervous about it and was waiting for the negative comment that hasn’t come.  It may not be a big deal at your church.  It is a gift of God in mine.  It is glorious.  Being allowed to play cleans my mind of all the negatives of the week.  I feel like the Little Drummer Boy in the song.  It is sometimes difficult to play, conduct the liturgy, and preach but we have managed.  To God be the glory!

Some people want to be up front or be seen.  I don’t care about that.  I just want to be in Christ’s band.  Some may want the privilege of sitting in the best seats.  I don’t care how I get there, or got here.  I am just glad that I get to praise Him from my heart on this instrument.  Music is important to me.  It is crucial in how I praise the Lord.  I thank God for the gifts.

Doing this I get to play with two great musicians in the service of the Lord.  I am still learning but it just feels so good.  I hope you don’t mind.  Now we need a bass player, and a choir. (smile)

Psalm 150

 1 Praise ye Jehovah. Praise God in his sanctuary: Praise him in the firmament of his power.

 2 Praise him for his mighty acts: Praise him according to his excellent greatness.

 3 Praise him with trumpet sound: Praise him with psaltery and harp.

 4 Praise him with timbrel and dance: Praise him with stringed instruments and pipe.

 5 Praise him with loud cymbals: Praise him with high sounding cymbals.

 6 Let everything that hath breath praise Jehovah. Praise ye Jehovah.