The one truly universal language is Music, it communicates to the very soul of a receptive hearer, I have always had a great love for music from my earliest recollection of being a huge John Farnham fan, then Elvis, through the pop and techno music of my early teen years (which I now shudder at the thought of) unfortunately, this soon gave way to hip-hop/rap which is where my taste did abide for some time.
When I was about 12, I started to learn Bass Guitar which was a struggle to say the least, I just couldn’t “feel” the music but I persisted until i was about 15 when I moved away from the home of my youth in NSW to sunny Queensland, at this point my skill stagnated, the bass became a dust encrusted talking point in the corner of the room, it was coaxed into life by the occasional visitor but that was all, for over 4 years.
More recently my ears found the inexplicably unpredictable style of Jazz, which I got into, so much so that I went and got a fedora as I reached again for my Bass guitar, suddenly, I could “feel” music, this was an odd sensation as I had labored so hard with such meager results earlier in that decade of life, I started jamming with people when the option was presented, but as the Lord moved in my life so did my musical taste…
I lost my taste for jazz and R’n’B, and for a while didn’t listen to anything, it was like I was unintentionally cleansing my musical pallet, after this time, my love for acoustic sounds and harmonies grew and then it happened, whilst walking through my home, I noted the unplayed acoustic guitar in a cobweb ridden corner, looking almost bored with its own lot in life. I sat and tried to play the only chord I knew, D, and guess what… it sounded horrible, not unlike the sound that is made when you forget your favorite house-pet in the clothes dryer, but it was a start…
Soon thereafter I saw a friend of mine, an accomplished player and an inspired singer, who gave me a few pointers, this is what truly started my walk, that was about 6 months ago now, and since then I have acquired a guitar of my own, which was by divine appointment a great sounding guitar with a low price-tag, and I now play at every opportunity, not to perform, or impress people, but for praise.
I can tell you now, I am not naturally talented musically, if I was, I surely would have discovered it before now. My renewed desire to play was rooted in my longing to be able to worship my Savior in music, and indirectly to help others do the same, it was when I prayed this prayer that my hands seemed to find their skill, most assuredly I say unto you, this skill that I am in the process of obtaining was not hewn from natural ability, or even hard work and will power, indeed one hundred percent of the skill is a direct and free gift from my maker.
