Beautiful Melodies

Sing a new song to the Lord! Sing it everywhere around the world! Sing out his praises! Bless his name. Each day tell someone that he saves.

Publish his glorious acts throughout the earth. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.

Psalms 96:1-3 (TLB)

You know better than to put new wine into old wineskins. They would burst. The wine would be spilled out and the wineskins ruined. New wine needs fresh wineskins. Mark 2:22 (TLB)

Peter Caligiuri lives in Florida. He has been playing the guitar for more than 50 years. He especially enjoys playing alone on a Sunday afternoon. It is almost like praying with his fingers. But every three months or so, no matter how much he tunes them, the strings begin to sound tired and flat. Then Peter must do one on his least favorite tasks: change the guitar strings. He slowly unwinds and throws away the old strings. Peter painstakingly tightens the new ones to their proper tension, adjusting them until they are properly tuned. It's a lot of trouble, but with new strings even the plainest melody rings with beauty.

Peter has discovered that sometimes God works in him the same way. When his life has gotten out of tune, God sits him down and starts changing his strings. God unwinds his attitudes and goals that have a selfish sharp sound and gently leads him to repentance. Next, God puts on the new strings, tightening them until the grace notes of Jesus Christ can be heard again in his heart. When the Great Musician sits down to play the beautiful melodies of life in Peter again - oh, what joy!

Prayer: Father God, forgive us when our decisions do not follow your will. Tune our hearts to sing the songs of heaven today, in Jesus' name. Amen.