Put Down the Duckie!

One of our family's favorite Sesame Street songs has always been "You've Got to Put Down the Duckie If You Want to Play the Saxophone."  In one hand Ernie holds his much beloved and world famous rubber duckie ("Rubber Duckie, You're the One. .. "). In the other hand, he holds the saxophone he's learning to play.  Hoot the Owl wisely suggests Ernie "put down that duckie if you want to play the saxophone." 

   What rubber duckie are we holding on to that's keeping us from living our lives in the joyful abandon of God's Song?  Acts 17:28 suggests it might be a chisel:

"We live and move in Him, can’t get away from Him! One of your poets said it well: 'We’re the God-created.’ Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it?" Acts 17:28 - The Message
     Insecurity steals our symphony. We can't play instruments of praise to the One True God if we're chiseling out concrete gods of exits, safety nets, walls, heroes, bank balances and rules.  Like the plastic surgeons working on Michael Jackson's nose, we'll end up with nothing left and have to find a new block to chisel.
    In the near future, we'll forget whatever's worrying us today, but the joy we find  focusing on our Maker's Love will linger like a song and only grow stronger. Soon, a new boogie man will appear to threaten our sleep and faith, but we don't have to give him the upper hand. Instead we have the incredible option of laying the worry and fear stealing our joy at the feet of the Creator. Then, with newly freed hands and minds, we pick up our instruments of praise, focus on the Music, use both hands and all our hearts to play joyfully our part of the symphony.   


"But you remain the same. Your years will never end."
Psalm 102:27

Lord, I'm not even giving the boogie men and insecurities in my life names or time today. They're at Your beautiful Feet and I'm lifting my praise to You with all my heart.  You thought of autumn colors and breezes.  You knew we'd need relief from sweltering heat and the dryness of summer's end.  You knew we'd love the music of leaves blowing and crunching.  Your love song lyrics are
"So do not be afraid. I am with you.
Do not be terrified. I am your God.
I will make you strong and help you.
My powerful right hand will take good care of you.
I always do what is right." Isaiah 41:10
Help us respond with gratitude and joy to You, our Creator.  Make our fingers fleet in grasping Your assignments, our hands eager to minister to other people, our hearts full with praise and love for You!
In the Name of Jesus, our Song