Keeping Hope Alive- Mid Week Epistole by Rev. Jim Massey

KEEPING HOPE ALIVE
The story goes of a university where there was a piano teacher that was simply and affectionately known as "Herman." One night at a university concert, a distinguished piano player suddenly became ill while performing an extremely difficult piece. No sooner had the artist retired from the stage when Herman rose from his seat in the audience, walked on stage, sat down at the piano and with great mastery completed the performance.

Later that evening, at a party, one of the students asked Herman how he was able to perform such a demanding piece so beautifully without notice and with no rehearsal. He replied, "In 1939, when I was a budding young concert pianist, I was arrested and placed in a Nazi concentration camp. Putting it mildly, the future looked bleak. But I knew that in order to keep the flicker of hope alive that I might someday play again, I needed to practice every day. I began by fingering a piece from my repertoire on my bare board bed late one night. The next night I added a second piece and soon I was running through my entire repertoire. I did this every night for five years.

It so happens that the piece I played tonight at the concert hall was part of that repertoire. That constant practice is what kept my hope alive. Everyday I renewed my hope that I would one day be able to play my music again on a real piano, and in freedom."

Does this not remind us that the way we keep our faith alive and well is that we must continually practice? We do this when we are greeting our family of a morning when we get out of bed and go to work. We also do this at our work and school when we make the difficult decisions of each day. Do we work hard and show ourselves as laborers approved or do we simply get by?

A teacher once told me that the way a student begins learning to do his tasks as a child will have a direct effect on the way he acts as an adult. I can see some of the ways this could be true.

Now my question for you is, cannot this be true with a Christian as he relates daily to the God who is in the world around us? Maybe we need to practice more!

Holy Father, help us truly live for You today. When we greet one another help us see that we are greeting You as well. When we laugh with our friends, let it be something that we would truly be willing to share with Your Son. When we cry with another, let it be the tears similar to the ones shed in Gethsemane for the way the world lets sin walk among us. All these things we ask for Your grace to abide in this day. In the blessed name of Christ we pray. Amen.

This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Join me next week for another Mid-week Epistle.