“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3:23,24 NIV) 

At our early morning Church service, calling out favourite hymns is part of the worship format, so the pianist never knows from week to week what they may be called upon to play.

One Sunday, several songs, which the pianist was not overly familiar with were requested.  As he searched for the music he also said: I’m happy to give it a try but we may be missing some notes.

The congregation laughed, then sang with gusto and beauty even amidst some missing notes.

Pianists are not the only ones who sometimes miss notes though.  Each and every one of us also missesnotes as we go about playing the music of our everyday lives.  In other words, we do not live out our days perfectly, not even one of us, for none of us is perfect.

Living our lives out for Christ, choosing to work at whatever He puts in front of us each day, with all of our heart, doing the very best we can, as we look to Him for strength and guidance is what counts though, not the missing notes. He knows that we are only human and that we each have our share of faults and failings, for this is why He came to die for mankind.  Not because we were perfect, but because we are not.  Our imperfections however must never keep us from trying to do our best in our service for Him. For when we do our best for the Master, He is able to turn it into something beautiful as it is laid before Him at the throne of grace.

So today, let’s each of us choose in regards to whatever we do, to work at it with all our hearts, as working for the Lord not for men.  For as we do so, the missing notes will not matter.  What will count is the intention of our hearts and the faith we display as we trust in the One who loves us and died for us to make something beautiful, not only out of us but also out of the works of our hands which we offer up to Him, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords for the glory of His Kingdom.

Prayer:  Father God, we thank You so much for Jesus and His love for us.  We thank You that when we work diligently for Him in this world, that He is able to take even the most imperfect of our works and turn them into something beautiful for the encouragement of others, as well as for the glory of Your Kingdom.  In Christ’s name we pray.  Amen.

Lynne Phipps 
Tawatinaw, Alberta, Canada