On Being a Piano

"It was by Him that everything was created: the heavens, the earth, all things within and upon them, all things seen and unseen, thrones and dominions, spiritual powers and authorities. Every detail was crafted through His design, by His own hands, and for His purposes."—Colossians 1:16, The Voice

Here is a foundational truth about worship beyond a song—on Sunday morning, and in how we live the other six days of the week:

From before the beginning of time, even when culture or voices or mean-spirited kids on the playground have said otherwise,

Our lives matter to God.

Because we were created for God, in all that we do, think and say.

To be carriers of His goodness, in church and out.

Us.

Every detail...By His own hands...For His purposes.

All shapes, sizes, personalities, abilities, talents, moods, peculiarities.

To be, as Isaiah said of the ancient children of Israel,

“The people that I formed for Myself that they might declare My praise.”

Shock and awe.

Which means fighting against the TV culture of passivity;

Of turning the channel always looking for, hoping for, something, anything better,

Or letting those who seem to be smarter, more talented and more beautiful do all the thinking and messaging and performing for us

While we…just…watch

When all the while we were born for so much more…

“Without argument, most things are at their best when they are fulfilling their purpose and design. 

For instance, a piano is made with a specific purpose: to produce music. However, I happen to know that someone once stood on a piano in order to put a fastener of some kind in the ceiling. Some artistic women have used piano tops as family picture galleries. I have seen piano tops that were cluttered filing cabinets or wide library shelves 

There is an intelligent design in the creation of a piano. The manufacturer did not announce: ‘This is a good piano. It has at least 19 uses!’ No, the designer had only one thought in mind: ‘This piano will have the purpose and potential of sounding forth beautiful music!'"

—A.W. Tozer

...Because we all were created for God, in all that we do, think and say.

Every detail... By His own hands... For His purposes.

Participants, not spectators.

Worship with feet on to carry His goodness.

Born for "sounding forth beautiful music!"

Born to be real pianos.