The Tune Of Our Heart
Helen Francis
One of the greatest joys of my life is singing. As soon as I was able to, I sang in the church choir. That meant 3 trips to church on a Sunday and rehearsals in between, but I didn't mind, I loved the strange tunes with Latin names in the sung service.
Singing in church choirs, and any other choirs, continued on and off into my adult life, and by now I was enjoying the challenge of alto parts. But there was just one small snag to it all. I can't read music. So, when preparing pieces for a performance, I would have to memorise the tune by heart.
On one occasion, the choir was made up of church members from all over the world, so practising together was limited. We were sent the music and a tape of our part to practice at home alone.
I was struggling to master the piece - it included a sudden jump to a low G, which didn't sound right at all. My piano-playing, music-reading, teenage daughter assured me that though it sounded very odd, that was what was written in the music.
I renewed my efforts and as back-up took the tape with me to play in the car as we travelled to Ireland, where the convention was being held.
There were to be three rehearsals before the performance. On the first evening I was horrified when the alto section all sang a different note to the low G I had memorised. In fact they all sang different notes to each other. It was chaos. I panicked, doubting myself. Did I get the note wrong? Which group should I listen to?
I assumed everyone else was more proficient than me and could read music. I went back to the car and listened to the tape. No, I had memorised it correctly, and now I was sure it was right, I had the courage of my convictions.
At the next rehearsal I sang that note so loudly and confidently a small crowd of altos began to gather round me, listening and copying as we went over the piece repeatedly. This rippled out to others. By the time the performance was due the whole alto section were singing the same note, the low G written on the score.
It struck me afterwards how like our Christian walk this is. When we believe in Jesus we may find the truth we've understood difficult to voice.
Others may disagree or contradict us. At times all the "noise" we read or hear might be saying the opposite to the truth we know. Often those voices claim to be expert and we feel less qualified to speak out, we can even begin to doubt. But we have back up!
Going back to our bibles we can re-rehearse the tune we know off by heart. We read Jesus's words:
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
(John 14:6)"I and the Father are one."
(John 10:30)
Reminded of these truths, we can stop doubting and have the courage of our convictions. We don't need to be experts, there may be others who appear more proficient singing something different but, if we sing out loudly and confidently the tune of our heart, we can begin to change the music round about us.
