For The Love Of Music

The next time you have the chance to watch a live musical performance – whether it be a symphony, a musical, or a rock concert – be sure to watch the musicians . . . in the audience.

It’s fascinating to watch a musician listen to music. As I write this, I’m watching the Kennedy Center Honors. This year, among the honorees is Leon Fleisher, a classical pianist that I’d never heard of before tonight. He sat in the audience as an ensemble performed Beethoven’s “Choral Fantasy,” and every so often, the camera would cut to Mr. Fleisher’s face as he watched. You could almost see that he was mentally playing the piece along with the musicians on stage. Later, as Hootie & The Blowfish performed “California Girls” in honor of Brian Wilson, the camera again cut to Mr. Wilson & Mr. Fleisher. They were both out of their chairs, clapping along and getting as close to dancing as men their age can.

I’m reminded of going to a Billy Joel concert several years ago. The song “Piano Man” is a staple at his shows (I’m not sure he’d get out of the stadium alive without playing it). Of course, everyone in the crowd knows the song by heart. When he gets to one of the last choruses, he and the band will stop playing and singing, letting the audience take over. The simultaneous pride and humility is written on his face as he sits and listens to hundreds upon thousands of people sing the song he penned so many decades ago.

I often wonder if it’s the same with God. After all, we are His masterpiece (see Ephesians 2:10). And, like a musician listening to a favorite piece, He knows exactly where our lives should be going (see Proverbs 16:19). Sadly, though, I sometimes feel that God is not so much beaming at a great performance than He is wincing at the flubbed notes. But this is not the God I serve.

I remember, as a kid, taking part in way too many piano recitals. Mom and Dad were always there, dutifully enduring all the younger kids, until it was my turn at the piano. And when I was done, they were always so proud, regardless of how many mistakes I had made (and there were many, I assure you). It was almost as if the goofs had passed right through their consciousness, and all they heard was the heart of the musician, rather than the notes of the piece.

This is how God sees me now that I’ve given my heart over to Christ. I Samuel 16:7 says, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." All the goofs, all the mistakes, all the missed notes, none of that matters to Him. All He sees is my heart, which is inhabited by Christ. And so, as He looks at me, with all my flaws, He can still look upon my heart and say, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” (Matthew 3:17) And that’s music to my ears.

Q & A

Like most people, I spend a great deal of time seeking out God’s will for my life. This usually involves questions like: What am I supposed to do with my life? Who am I supposed to marry? What color socks should I wear today? (Just kidding.) I’ve been pondering such questions for years. Finding no concrete answers, I had almost come to the conclusion that somehow, somewhere along the way, I had missed an off-ramp, and was therefore destined to forfeit the plans God has for me (see Jeremiah 29:11).

Turns out (big surprise here) I was wrong. It’s not that I wasn’t finding any answers. I was just asking the wrong questions.

Moses asked the right questions. In Exodus 33:13, Moses asked of God, “If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor.” Notice that he didn’t ask, “Lord, what would you have me do? What career path should I follow?” It wasn’t about that. Moses understood what I’m only now starting to grasp. God’s will has nothing to do with any particular action I may take. It has everything to do with knowing God, knowing God’s character. That’s what Moses meant when he asked to know God’s ways. Knowing the character of God means becoming more intimate with him, becoming closer to him, becoming more like him. In this way, our decisions will more closely mirror God’s, so that we don’t have to run to him with every little thing. God’s character becomes our character, so that our minds come closer to being as one.

Moses also knew that if God isn’t in it, then it ain’t right. “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. How will anyone know that you look favorably on me – on me and your people – if you don’t go with us?” (vs. 15-16a) Moses knew that to go anywhere without God meant disaster. In my life, this equates to going to God with my own plans, asking for his permission and/or blessing, rather than seeking his plan from the beginning.

So, putting these two concepts together, knowing the character of God is the best way to unveil his plans for us, because knowing his character means knowing which plans he will inhabit. And knowing God that intimately means spending time with him. It means going to him for more than just the occasional prayer request, but actually spending time in conversation with him, just like you would a close friend. That’s how you truly know someone.

My prayer, then, is this. “Show me the right path, o Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the god who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.” (Psalm 25:4) Note that the psalmist doesn’t just ask for the solution. He specifically requests to be taught, and to be led by truth. That’s my desire; to be led by the truth of who God really is and to learn more and more about the character of God, so that I may be more like him.