“The Scriptures were not given to increase our knowledge, but to change our lives.” D.L. Moody
What do these verses challenge you to do?
James 1:19-27 God’s Word is meant to be lived out. Becoming like Christ will only happen if you live out His commandments.
Hebrews 5:11-14 Baby food or solid food.
Romans 12:1,2 Key to knowing God’s will.
Now do it. Make a commitment to work on becoming more like Christ this week.
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I thought I would share this story with you.
The Piano "Lesson"
Elizabeth Elliot
Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother spotted a friend in the audience and walked down the aisle to greet her. Seizing the opportunity to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and eventually explored his way through a door marked "NO ADMITTANCE." When the houselights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing." Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child and he added a running obligation. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. And the audience was mesmerized. Whatever our situation in life and history ~ however outrageous, however desperate, whatever dry spell of the spirit, whatever dark night of the soul ~ God is whispering deep within our beings, "Don't quit. Keep playing. You are not alone.”
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© E. Elliot 1997 all rights reserved
This story by Elizabeth Elliot may be familiar to you all. This weekend this story took on a whole new meaning. Fred decided to get some kindling for the fire that he would be building to keep us warm on Friday night. We had Ashton Ruby for the night and were planning on taking her to the University of Florida gymnastics meet. In a very few minutes, our life and plans changed. Fred came in the kitchen and said, “Kath, I cut my thumb off!” Needless to say, we went into emergency mode. Fortunately, Melissa and Addy were at the house so she took the girls. I got Fred a washcloth to hold on his thumb, picked up the other part of his thumb and began the seemingly endless ride to Shands Hospital Emergency Room. Fred was in excruciating pain to say the least and I was in shock that I had just touched a thumb not attached to a body. All I could say in my head was, “Oh, God, my God, please help.” After stopping at every red light possible, we made it to the hospital for our 5½ hour visit. Endless check-in information, x-rays and finally morphine were the initial agenda. Body parts on ice, then off of ice, pleasant doctors, nurses, techs, volunteers, medical students, ivs were the array of stimuli with which we were confronted. Around 10:00pm the stitching began. We were told it would be a hand specialist coming to work on Fred but instead it was a medical student who got orders from a supervising doctor. As he prepared to work on Fred, he was visibly nervous though determined. He would sometimes have to go ask the doctor’s advice but for the most part soloed in his “reattachment” duties. I was entertaining Ashton Ruby and trying to keep Fred encouraged. Our friends Jan and David came to be supportive as well. When the stitching began we sat out in the hall checking in once and awhile. What was taking place in the room was much like the story of the pianist. The medical student had never done this surgery before. In fact, he had no intention of becoming a doctor! He was going to medical school so he could become a psychiatrist. Fred recognizing his nervousness, encouraged him with each stitch. He would tell him that one didn’t hurt, that one looks good, you are doing a good job much like the pianist encouraged the little boy. I don’t know about you but that just overwhelms me. To see how God used pain and suffering to motivate another is amazing.
So what is next? We don’t know. Will the reattachment work? That is up to the Lord. Do I believe He can do it? Yes. I am claiming the following verses for Fred. Ephesians 3:20,21 states, Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
The more I live my life with Jesus, the more I wonder at what he can do. This story isn’t done. There are many more paragraphs and chapters to be written. I can say even through the uncertainty however, that my God reigns.
We appreciate your prayers and will try to give you updates of yet another God story in the life of the Gratto family.
Obviously my group is a week behind, but the study in the 2nd week was so rich. I never thought of suffering as a treasure. But for believers it is. Maybe not the suffering itself, but the end result of it:knowing Him better and reflecting His glory. And a very important thing I have learned from my trials is how much it grows my faith to help endure the next trial. Our Jesus is so sweet!
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