The Metronome

met-ro-nome.  noun.  A mechanical or electrical instrument that makes repeated clicking sounds at an adjustable pace, used for marking rhythm, especially in practicing music.

Years ago, the well-dressed piano featured a metronome. To a small child taking piano lessons, the metronome was an imposing edifice with beautiful woodgrain finish and a brass pendulum. The loud tick-tock, which was meant to guide us to perfect timing, was often an intimidating distraction. But it didn’t intimidate unless it was turned on.

Now we can purchase a tiny electronic metronome or app which will thump, peep or flash with a variety of sounds and blinks. Regardless of the type, a metronome is meant to supply a steady beat to help the musician learn to keep his own internal steady beat.  The music composer dictates the tempo, the metronome demonstrates the tempo, and the musician submits to the tempo.

Awhile back (still within my lifetime), Bibles were large and intimidating. To a small child, the language, outdated by more than 200 years, was distracting. Now we can purchase Bibles in any size, any version of English or any other language, with themes, reading plans, and study guides. Regardless of the type, the Bible is meant to serve as a guide to God and His gift of Life. It is meant to show us how to hear God, how to respond to Him, how to live for Him. But whatever kind we have, we need to use it. Don’t just brag on your chosen “version”; read it. Believe it. Follow it. Try to set the tempo of your life by it. Fail. Repeat.

God is not hiding from us or keeping secrets from us. He wants us to hear Him, to know His gifts to us, to follow His steady, consistent, unfailing direction.

Good and upright is the Lord;

Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.

He leads the humble in justice,

And he teaches the humble His way.

All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth

To those who keep His covenants and His testimonies.

For Your name’s sake, O LORD,

Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

Who is the man who fears the LORD?

He will instruct him in the way he should choose.

His soul will abide in prosperity,

And his descendants will inherit the land.

The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him,

And He will make them know His covenant.  Ps. 25:8-14  NASB

A few years ago, I had been trying to learn a piece of music, and was struggling to play consistently. When I finally got out the metronome, I was dismayed to find how far “off” I was from the goal. I mentioned that to a friend who is an accomplished musician, and he made this observation,

The world operates largely on the basis of “cause and effect” with one thing happening as the result of another. When it comes to music, the steady beat absolutely MUST be the cause – the “leader” and the player’s hands or voice or feet or whatever must be the effect, or the “follower.” If the “master” has dictated that it be done, then so shall it be done! We will practice and practice until it CAN be done according to the master’s will.

Although it may be uncomfortable to practice with a metronome now, that discomfort is pointing out to you how far off you are from where you should be. If you were keeping a steady tempo, you would feel no discomfort at all. That metronome would be clicking right along with you and you would feel affirmed, rather than frustrated. The more you work with the metronome, the better trained your own internal metronome will be.

Suppose we thought about the Bible the same way. Suppose we actually believed we need to follow God’s Word exactly, consistently, continually, the same way we do a simple mechanical tool. If we “practiced,” we would feel affirmed, rather than frustrated in our Christian life. The Bible is our metronome -- God expresses His will, the Bible explains His will, we submit to His will.

Is your metronome turned on?

 --Lynda Shenefield