Rock. Stop. Ready. Play. Those were the instructions given to me at my last violin lesson. I’ve only been playing the violin for a month, but I am excited that I can add Here I Am To Worship to my song list. Until this point the only song I could play was Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. The instructions to Rock. Stop. Ready. Play is a technique to help me learn to switch from one string to another without playing two strings at once. As a beginner, I will often inadvertently play two strings at once which results in a grinding sound. This is the sound that my beloved affectionately says “sounds like mating screeching cats.” To combat this problem I must practice the technique of Rock. Stop. Ready. Play. My violin teacher told me this exercise will help to train me to use the bow to transfer the weight from one string to the other. Transfer the weight. As my teacher demonstrated the proper technique, my mind was thinking of this verse:
“Cast your cares on the Lord, He will sustain you.” Psalm 55:22
“Focus, April, focus,” I tell myself as I watch my teacher play with ease and joy. She has such peace when she plays. There is no squeaking, no grinding sound, only ribbons of harmony and peace. That’s because she has learned to transfer the weight.
“Come to me who are weak and heavy burdened and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28-30
Transferring weight is my lesson to learn this week. It is a lesson we could all practice. My heart is heavy with many burdens. In addition to my usual parenting burdens, I have friends with cancer and others have unexplained health problems. My children have friends who are ill. I have loved ones going through a difficult season of life. We all have burdens, some are more obvious than others. The good news that God reminds us in His Word that we don’t have to carry these burdens ourselves.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ.” Philippians 4:6
Today, if you have a heavy heart, I recommend you read John chapters 14-16. These passages are filled with comfort that Christ brought to his disciples. Because God’s written word is active and alive, the words of comfort given then, can also bring comfort to us now.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me.”-Jesus in John 14:1
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world.” -Jesus in John 16:33
Just as I am learning the technique of transferring the weight on the strings, God’s desire is for us to also learn to transfer the weight of our heavy heart to Him. Perhaps we need to Rock. Stop. Ready. Pray. Rock to our knees. Stop trying to figure everything out on our own. Ready our hearts to be in God’s presence. Pray, transferring the weight of our burdens over to God.
“Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you that you are mighty to save. I thank you that you welcome my weary heart. I thank you that your arms aren’t too short to carry me and my burdens. Lord, take this load from me. I can confidently transfer the weight of my burdened heart to you. Thank you for trading my worries for peace, burdens for rest, and ashes for beauty. In Jesus name, Amen.”
~April
“May you and I be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” Romans 1:12
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