Today's Daily Bread
The Night No One Came
One winter night composer Johann Sebastian Bach was scheduled to
debut a new composition. He arrived at the church expecting it to be
full. Instead, he learned that no one had come. Without missing a beat,
Bach told his musicians that they would still perform as planned. They
took their places, Bach raised his baton, and soon the empty church was
filled with magnificent music.
This story made me do some soul-searching. Would I write if God were my only audience? How would my writing be different?
New writers are often advised to visualize one person they are
writing to as a way of staying focused. I do this when I write
devotionals; I try to keep readers in mind because I want to say
something they will want to read and that will help them on their
spiritual journey.
I doubt that the “devotional writer” David, whose psalms we turn to
for comfort and encouragement, had “readers” in mind. The only audience
he had in mind was God.
Whether our “deeds,” mentioned in Matthew 6, are works of art or acts
of service, we should keep in mind that they’re really between us and
God. Whether or not anyone else sees does not matter. He is our
audience.
That my ways might show forth Your glory,
That You, dear Lord, greatly deserve!
With Your precious blood You’ve redeemed me—
In all my days, You I would serve! —Somerville
That You, dear Lord, greatly deserve!
With Your precious blood You’ve redeemed me—
In all my days, You I would serve! —Somerville
Serve for an audience of one.
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