Sometimes Music is Just Music

 

The conductor of the Nashville Symphony Giancarlo Guerrero told a story last week about being enamored by a newly-created organ concerto.  When he met the composer, Giancarlo asked him, “So what is the story behind this piece?  What compelled you to write this? Where was your inspiration?”

The elderly composer hesitated a moment, and replied, “No story. No reason.  Sometimes music is just music.”  The music itself was enough. There was no hidden secret.  He swam in the currents of the music that came to him.  There was no agenda to produce a world-class concerto.  He was just embraced by the beauty of the music.

All too often, we miss that same kind of intimacy and beauty of prayer.  We are inundated by the enormous number of books on prayer from antiquity to the present, plans for more effective prayer, formulas, ordering of our words, repetitions, training plans, liturgies, and even postures. 

As if calling out to God, “Can you hear me now?”

Somehow in the midst of striving to be more effective in prayer, we miss the essence.  There is no need to categorize praise, intercession and confession in a specific order.  We don’t have to have a compelling reason, or a drastic story to qualify, but we can pray just because God welcomes us into His presence.  We can simply get lost in our conversation with Him and delight in being with God. 

We can just pray and be captivated by the wonder of God Himself.

Prayer needs not to be all business, but drawing near to God.  Not seeking an agenda, pursuing a set of instructions, bearing lists of prayer requests, but spending deeply personal moments with Him.

Early the other morning, one of our adult daughters texted me, “Wanna meet me for a run?”  Absolutely.

When we started on the trail, I almost asked her, “So, what’s on your mind?”  But I didn’t.  We just ran and talked and enjoyed being together.  Our closeness deepened another notch.

God loves that too.

Sometimes we forget the point of prayer is just praying, realizing His Presence and being astonished by the magnificence of being together with the Almighty.

Be still,

and know that I am God.

                 Psalm 46. 10

He is right here with us.  Spend some time with Me.

Just pray.