Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. —Colossians 3:23 (NLT)
I’ve never had a lot of exposure to classical music, and I tend to listen to it without much appreciation. But I read a true story about a composer the other day that made me sit up and take notice. Johann Sebastian Bach wrote each note as though God Himself was scrutinizing every musical bar and phrase. One of his most acclaimed works is The Passion According to St. Matthew, which has been called one of the greatest choral works ever written. Now here’s what really got my attention: The Passion was performed only once while Bach was alive and wasn’t all that well received. Just one performance. One.
Then a hundred years later, in 1829, Felix Mendelssohn obtained a copy from his teacher, who allegedly bought the original score from a merchant using it to wrap cheese. Mendelssohn’s performance of the score was met with an appreciation and love that has never ebbed. This story certainly has God’s fingerprints all over it.
What struck me particularly in the article, though, was this: At the beginning of almost all of his compositions, Bach wrote the abbreviation JJ for the Latin phrase Jesu juva, which means “Jesus help,” and ended with SDG (Soli Deo Gloria), which is Latin for “To God Alone the Glory.” This is just the reminder I need as I forge ahead in my life. All I do, every word I write, every action I take, everything belongs to God. To Him be the glory, always and forever.
Father, to You be the glory in all that I say and do.
