Photo by Michał Parzuchowski on Unsplash

My first piano teacher was Mrs. Oliver.*  She was a member of the church that I grew up at and she started giving me lessons in her home when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade.  I can still remember sitting at the piano in her living room for those weekly lessons.  During our first session, she taught me where to find “Middle C” and how to hold my hands on the keys.  Thanks to Mrs. Oliver, even after 40+ years and though most of my keyboard skills have vanished, I can still find that Middle C.

Sadly, I only stuck at my studies with the piano for a few more years.  In 6th grade, I started to play the French Horn with the school band and the time and expense of private lessons switched from piano to horn.  My time playing the horn came to an end after my freshman year of high school, when the demand of other interests took over.  But those lessons with piano and horn did teach me everything I know today about music, and without a doubt, created the foundation for an appreciation of music that has sustained me in countless ways over the years.

How has your life been shaped by music?  Did you learn to play the piano or another instrument at an early age? Can you still play it?  If you could snap your fingers and magically play any instrument, what would it be?  Here’s my musical confession: I have dreams about stepping on stage with the Grateful Dead to play lead guitar and wowing the crowds with my soaring solos. (note to self: maybe start practicing again?)

“O come, let us sing to the Lord;

    let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;

    let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!”

Psalm 95:1-2

The psalmist writes of the joy of music and how such joy is a way to praise God. While I doubt that those early music lessons of mine produced truly joyful noises, I’m certain that joy was found, as it continues to be found in every note offered.  Let’s give thanks today for all the teachers who have set about to fill the world with music, and all the joy that music has created.

May God’s peace come to you this day. – Pastor Peter

*What a delightful happenstance it was to discover shortly after starting here that Mrs. Ruth Oliver is the sister of Prince of Peace member, Maria Larson!

Let us pray…

God of all creation, we thank you today for your gift of musicians. We know that every good and perfect gift comes from you. We thank you for the custodians of the music of the divine service. We thank you string instruments, wind instruments, percussion and singers. Bless all who guide through the ministry of music worship. May musicians facilitate music that brings you glory. Music that transcends barriers that divide race, class, gender, denominationalism, ethnicity or geography. May they find joy in their work and may it fill them with peace, comfort and purpose. Fill musicians with your light and love as they generously share with the world. Lord let all creation sing your praise and the host make music in your presence. Bless musicians as only you can. In your name we pray.  Amen.

Adapted from a Prayer for… Musicians, by Rev. Babette Chatman, Augsburg University