"And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?" (Luke 18:7 NIV)
"Pray continually" (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV)
The music that flowed from his master's room was incredibly lovely, virtually free from the constraints of time, meter and tempo."Someday I'll make him proud," thought the master's student, "someday I'll play that well for him too."
Unfortunately, the realities of day-to-day living wore heavily on the student. His goal never changed, but time had begun to erode his confidence and zeal. Hour after hour of practice on his instrument seemed only to birth fatigue, pain, numbness and loneliness. From the student's perspective, the days, then weeks, then months saw no advancement, no real signs of the emergence of the promise his master had told him he possessed.But the master knew better. As he stood back, out of the student's direct vision, he observed him carefully, lovingly. It was only from this 'hidden' perspective that the true character of the student could be assessed. And the master's perspective was always perfect.One day, at the master's request, the student played a score he had been perfecting for months. This particular arrangement told a classic tale that pitted the forces of evil against those of good. The music beautifully traced the ebb and flow of the battle. The student's talent and gifts were clearly evident -- even to himself. The beginnings of tears in the corners of his eyes attested to the effort of heart and soul expended on this work of love for his master."Lovely," exclaimed the master, "beautiful work my son! I can't wait to hear it from you again tomorrow.""Thank you sir, but I was hoping I might move on to something new tomorrow. It's just that, well, you know . . . . I thought I was finished with this piece.""My son, you played wonderfully for me today. You've done all that I asked. But tomorrow, I want you to play the same thing again. See you then." As the master exits for his study, the conversation is obviously over. The master had lovingly ended the 'debate'.The student's pleasure at his master's praise is swallowed up by confusion and doubt upon hearing this response. "Yes sir," he submissively whispers, not hiding the discouragement in his voice, "tomorrow . . . . again."He ponders his master's parting words in the loneliness of his room. Speaking to himself, he silently petitions, "Oh master, will you tell me how long I shall have to practice this score? How long master? How long?"The master observes all this, so near to his student, as always, yet just out view. He is keenly aware of his student's present discouragement. Yet he is also mindful of how vital it is for the student to obey him and play this score once again tomorrow. He must see the student play it with all the love and spirit he saw today, but on the heels of discouragement. Then a true growing will have occurred. Then he will move on."I know my son, I know," the master silently muses. "You are a most obedient and loving student, yet this is a great test for you. Refinement in you is required so that you may go on to more challenging and beautiful works that I will assign. I see in you a quality, a beauty, a hope of glory that, presently, is obscured from your view. Remain steadfast my son, and you will learn that the end of a matter is better than it's beginning."I could, of course, tell you exactly how long to practice. I could easily say to you, 'You'll have it perfected by this evening, and so tomorrow you may move on,' but that approach would do you a disservice my son. You see, your goal then would be getting to tomorrow, not perfecting the score I have assigned to you. You would strive only for the end of a stretch of time, rather than to birth forth from love what I have asked you to do out of love. Your goal would not match my expectation, nor would it be true to your original desire."The master knows his student so very well because of what is in him. The master has formed and shaped this one himself, but he has done it slowly, carefully and lovingly -- from the inside out; the only way that truly works. This student has the very same qualities and attributes that the master himself possesses; the same basic ingredients that are also in the master's only son. Yes, the master has a son, and he wants this student to be as much like his son as possible." 'How long,' you ask me my son, 'How long shall I practice, master?' You have played the score beautifully. A single dry eye could not be found in a room full of people that listened to your work. The music you play is nearly flawless, as I have come to expect, and so your 'How long's?' are well understood."The music is very important, and so is how you go about it. But the real goal my son, is you, your perfection. There will be many other songs, scores and arias. I expect you will learn to master them just as you are learning to master this one you played for me today. Can you see how much I long to have you with me to play for me always?""How long master, how long shall I practice?" The student's words reverberate in the master's thoughts as he goes about his daily business. "Oh my son," he sighs expectantly, "my desire is for you to play for me unceasingly simply because you truly love to please me."
"How Long Shall I
Practice Master?"
The Goodsoil Discipleship Ministry
By Bro. Andy Madonio
April 17, 1996
Introduction:
This story is simply about prayer. Prayer takes time -- period. That is an unavoidable truth. It would be just as valid for Jesus to say "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except by Me," as it would be for Him to say, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Me except by prayer."We pray because Jesus did, and our goal is to be like Him in all things. We pray to know our Lord, "even as (we) are fully known."If you will not pray, you can never finish the race. There are no exceptions and no excuses. God desires us so intensely; how can we refuse His Word?