Verse for today:

“3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” 2 Peter 1:3 {E.S.V.}

I was reminded of a story today that I heard some-time ago. It was of a violinist who performed before a packed concert hall one evening in the big city. The musical genius stepped out onto stage and purposefully drew the bow across his violin. The room fell silent as the instrument reverberated with the most glorious tones that the audience had ever heard. Before he could finish his performance -- as he slowly slid the bow across the strings ringing out the final notes -- the concert hall errupted with applause and cheers. But what was to happen next -- it would send the audience reeling into shock and unbelieving speechlessness. The virtuoso raised the violin up above head in his right hand, seemingly in a victor's stance. Before an eye in the house could blink, he smashed down the source of musical beauty upon the podium with all of his might -- shattering and splintering it into 80 billion shreds and pieces. He met the crowd's stares of disbelief and mouths gaping wide with shock with a small smile. He looked out at the audience and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, please do not be dismayed. This was only a three and a half dollar violin. Just a small showing that it is not so much the violin that makes the music, as it is the man who draws the bow.”

Little is so much when God is in it. We find that the small moments of life are the ones that go with us the furthest -- the young boy finding his father's smile in the stands as he hits his first ball in little league - the young girl who finds her parents faces radiating joy and pride as she sings the final notes of her first solo - and the hearts of the boy and girl that touch hands for the first time and feel that time-honored spark -- these are the things that help make this life much sweeter -- and the memories of which will carry us on through life. Just as God has given us these small moments to gaze into His limitless blessing -- He also desires to take the "insignificant" moments of our days -- the minutes spent brushing your teeth -- those spent gazing into the mirror applying makeup -- and even those spent when we feel alone and lonely -- these moments can fill our heart with just as much joy as the previously mentioned -- once viewed through in the proper vein. I pray that you will today seek out those minutes that are "the insignificant" and look upwards seeking His face there. For God alone can truly take a life that may be comparable to a $3.50 violin, and turn it into a brilliant masterpiece.