out of the pit

Last night my daughter and I got dressed up for our first ballet together. My heart smiled as I listened to her incessant giggles and watched her untameable skipping all the way to the box office.

The show was breathtaking. Such beauty, such grace, such harmony.

The dancing was spectacular, the music perfection. But I was mildly disappointed that I could not see more of the orchestra. I enjoy watching the instrumentalists almost as much as the ballet dancers. I like spotting where the specific sounds are originating from and trying to anticipate who will contribute next to the overall composition.

As I craned my neck to catch a glimpse of the back two rows of the orchestra, I couldn't help but think, “What a pity! Here are these hard-working musicians, collaborating to construct such a crucial component to the production, and they can't even see what's taking place on stage!”

I started thinking about them, sitting inconspicuously in the sunken pit, and it made me think of various verses in Scripture that speak of God drawing His people 'out of the pit.' There they were, in a dark pit, unseen, yet producing such mesmerizing music it almost seemed supernatural.

I had to conclude, “Even out of the pit, God can make beautiful music.”

So no matter what measure you're in right now in the musical score called life, consider submitting yourself to the ultimate Composer, follow his lead as Conductor of all and trust that even when you can't see what is happening on stage, there is One choreographer who can see it all and is running the show in perfect harmony.

"Surely it was for my benefit

that I suffered such anguish.

In your love you kept me

from the pit of destruction;

you have put all my sins

behind your back.

For the grave cannot praise you,

death cannot sing your praise;

those who go down to the pit

cannot hope for your faithfulness.

The living, the living -- they praise you,

as I am doing today;

fathers tell their children

about your faithfulness.

The Lord will save me,

and we will sing with stringed instruments

all the days of our lives

in the temple of the Lord."

-- A writing of Hezekiah king of Judah after his illness and recovery,

Isaiah 38:17-20