The great composer Mendelssohn visited a cathedral in Europe that housed the most magnificent organ in the world. The German composer quietly sat in a pew and listened as the cathedral organist prepared for the Sunday mass. When he finished, Mendelssohn approached and asked, “Could I play the organ?”

“I’m afraid not,” the elderly man said with a cordial finality. “You understand, of course, we forbid strangers off the street from playing this organ.”

The Master’s Touch

Undaunted, Mendelssohn persisted and finally the guardian of the organ relented. As the master’s fingers caressed the keys the great organ came to life and seemed to breath for the first time. Note followed note into the air where they danced from pew to pew. They leaped from stone walls and stained-glass windows and transformed every air-born atom into an unseen carrier of musical perfection.

As he quietly listened, tears streamed down the old man’s weathered face. Finally, as the last note floated heavenward, the cathedral ceiling inhaled it, and a satisfied silence filled the great room.

Reverently, the organ keeper shuffled over to the now quiet instrument as the master affectionately stroked the keyboard. “You are Felix Mendelssohn?” he asked.

“I am,” he answered.

“What an old fool I am. I almost kept you from playing our organ.”

Let the Holy Spirit Sit at Your Keyboard

Like that old man, we are the keeper of our heart. And like him we may stand in the way of the Holy Spirit, preventing him from controlling our lives and producing beautiful music through us . . . music in harmony with God’s will.

Aware of this, in Romans 7:14-25, Paul described our struggle with indwelling sin. Our efforts to live like Jesus, without God’s touch, end in failure and discord. Paul urged us to move over, and let God’s Spirit sit at the keyboard.

How do we do that? We respond to the Spirit’s coaxing by trusting him to accomplish his purpose through us. We allow him to provide the power needed to love and obey God–to bridle our tongue, control our eyes, thoughts and deeds.

This week–consciously choose, throughout each day, to trust God’s Spirit to play his music through you. When you face a temptation, pray: “Father, I trust your Spirit to enable me to resist.” When you’re prompted to extend a kindness, pray, “Father, I trust your Spirit to love through me.” If you practice this for one week–you’ll be amazed at the tone of your life. And so will those around you.