Pieces

Yesterday in church, the pastor preached on Psalm 42-43. We long for God when we recognize our great need. We thirst and cry out to Him to relieve us from our darkness, pain, and suffering. Sometimes it feels as though we are crying out to God and He doesn’t hear us, especially when we have people around us taunting us and asking us where God is. God is ALWAYS here with us, even when we do not see Him. The pastor gave an example that arose from a Dietrich Bonhoeffer quote. Bonhoeffer said that life is not lived in one dimension; when we look back, we will see that it is multidimensional, like polyphony. In music, polyphony involves melody and harmony. One part by itself may not seem interesting or worthwhile, but all the parts together sound beautiful. This Psalm is an expression of one of the harmony parts. Pain and loneliness do not seem to make much sense, but they fit into the overall picture of life. God is the master composer and conductor. He has written the pieces of our lives, and day by day He creates a new, masterful interpretation. Though we look at the piece of music and think, “Oh, what an awful piece of music,” God hears the whole symphony in His head.

In my first-period study hall class, I have the opportunity to do a devotional each morning. Last Thursday, I read Ephesians 1:1-14 and discussed the mystery of God. His plan to adopt us has been mapped out for all eternity. His plan of salvation is too big for us to comprehend, but we catch glimpses, pieces, through our lives. It is like climbing one of the hills around Kandern. From inside the town, you can only see the walls of a few buildings. You climb a little higher, and you can see the rooftops and a few more buildings. As you climb higher, you can eventually see the entire town of Kandern.

In the same way, I can see little pieces of God’s plan. He has brought me to BFA and prepared me in lots of little ways. I can recognize some of them, but one day I’ll be able to turn around and enjoy the view from the hill. I’ll be able to see how my BFA story fits into God’s mystery, His plan of salvation across the ages. Right now, I’m in a bit of a dark valley. There are a lot of challenges facing the orchestra at BFA, and I do not know how they will turn out. I take comfort in the fact that God knows. He has written this complex symphony, and even if my part turns out to be the thud of a bass drum, I will one day be able to look back and enjoy the entire masterwork.