The Unfinished Symphony

George McDonald writes in his book, Restoring Your Spiritual Passion - "It is said of one of the famous composers that he had a rebellious son who used to come in late at night after his father and mother had gone to bed. And before going to his own room, he would go to his father's piano and slowly, as well as loudly, play a simple scale, all but the final note. Then leaving the scale uncompleted, he would retire to his room. Meanwhile the father, hearing the scale minus the final note, would writhe on his bed, his mind unable to relax because the scale was unresolved. Finally, in consternation, he would stumble down the stairs and hit the previously unstruck note. Only then would his mind surrender to sleep once again."

Our Father in heaven is not only the Father of spirits, and the Father of creation, He is the master composer of the music of our lives. I cannot but think sometimes about how He wants to make our lives beautiful, but be because of our own rebellion, we refuse to allow some of the necessary notes He has written to be played. The parts of His will we leave out disrupt the direction and flow of the music. Before long our lives scarcely resemble anything worthy of admiration. Rather than being a soothing source of comfort to our Father, our lives becomes a source of His frustration. His patience and mercy keep Him from intervening, but because of His nature He eventually will have to make an adjustment.

Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 8 in B minor is commonly known as the "Unfinished Symphony." People have searched for the remaining portions of this musical work for nearly 200 years. It has been debated that some of his other works were actually the completion of the symphony, but no evidence can support this for sure. What can be said without a doubt is simply this - the music is incomplete, and nobody knows why!

Take a look today at the song of your life. Are there notes God has written that you refuse to play? Is there something missing in the music, because you are leaving out the section that will make it complete? The power and beauty of your life is wholly dependent upon the finishing touch. Nobody will complete your song like Jesus. For those who truly love God, the Savior is the last line of the symphony. Christ Jesus is the strength of their song.

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation." ~ Isaiah 12:2