I praise you because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way.
Psalm 139.14
Antonio Stradivari was a seventeenth-century violin maker whose name in its Latin form, Stradivarious, has become synonymous with excellence. He once said that to make a violin less than his best would be to rob God, who could not make Antonio Stradivari's violins without Antonio.
He was right. God could not make Stradivarious violins without Antonio Stradivari. Certain gifts were given to that craftsman that no other violin maker possessed.
In the same vein, there are certain things you can do that no one else can. Perhaps it is parenting, or constructing houses, or encouraging the discouraged. There are things that only you can do, and you are alive to do them. In the great orchestra we call life, you have an instrument and a song, and you owe it to God to play them both sublimely.
from "The Applause of Heaven"
by Max Lucado
Oh Adrienne you are so right! When I was a high school counselor, many years ago, I used to tell kids that all the time. There is something they are intended to do that no one else in the world can do the way they can. Wish we all remembered that.
ReplyDeleteGod has gifted us all with the great talents of many. He plays His message in our hearts.
ReplyDeleteI love that beautiful post, Adrienne. Thank you.
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful encouragement for us to do our best to use our talents for God completely and wholly
ReplyDeletethanks,
Mimi
YOU are amazing...! Love today's Bible verse. Aren't we lucky to have a Heavenly Father who believe we are the best of creation! thanks for reminding me of this today, sweet friend.
ReplyDeletePd: How is Portland? Any roses yet? Mines are almost... almost ready to explode.... can't wait to show you.
Hugs
cielo
How beautiful! Definitely words of wisdom.
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Mary
Great message Adrienne....
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Penny
Adrienne
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Heartwarming!
We are all called to do something. How wonderful when we can recognize it is He who does the calling, and respond. :o)
ReplyDeleteThis is true...
ReplyDeleteAnother lovely post, Adrienne!
ReplyDeletePat
Nice thoughts! I like Max Lacado.
ReplyDeleteKatherine
A beautiful post! We checked out a few Stradavarious violins in the Academia museum in Florence- I will think of this post when remembering them!
ReplyDeleteblessings,
kari & kijsa
Hi Adrienne
ReplyDeleteThanks for those encouraging words. I love Max Lucado's books. He has such a fresh way of expressing bible truths.
Hugs, Rhondi
I was given a great gift 24 years ago today -- my son! Thank you for the inspiration and for stopping by and saying hello! M.
ReplyDeleteMr. Lacado's words are very inspiring. ^_^
ReplyDeleteNow, whenever I feel like procrastinating and not practicing my violin, this quote pops up, and a strange feeling swells in my heart that makes me want to play with all my might. Same goes for a lot of other things in my life ... things I normally take for granted/consider a giant hassle like swimming sessions, school, and putting on sunblock to prevent skin cancer, just thinking of "to not do your best, to not try your hardest, to not do what you can because you're alive, means to rob God," I suddenly know I must do it.
I'm not a very religious person. To describe my spiritual opinions in a nutshell, is that I'll take whatever the world gives me, because while I know something is out there, I don't know what it is. But I believe in it, I have a faith in it. Calling the force that created me, fate, destiny, God, saying that I'm not grateful enough for my life here on Earth, the things I have, my family, my friends, my life, my health, my happiness ... it goes on. Saying I'm not grateful enough for something by not using my potential here to serve others and try my best, truly means to rob God.
I love this idea so much. :) I ranted on and on about it ... I don't even know if I made any sense.
Anyhow, thank you for posting this quote! I love it! ^___^