I felt as if my worries were a toothpick tower as I listened to the guitarist.

When I knew he’d be performing at the University Student Center, I made it a priority to attend. The peace I felt as the guitarist played spurred me to want to know more about his beliefs. It was not his skill that made him stand out, it was his intense focus. Everything about him demonstrated that he believed in the “Jesus” He sang to.

Give unto the LORD the glory due his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

~1 Chronicles 16:29 KJV

The guitarist’s eyes were usually closed as he performed, but he seemed to have an uncanny knowledge of when there was a new listener. He’d open his eyes, and look straight into the person’s eyes, and he’d smile, thanking them that they’d joined us. Often, he’d look upward, expressing thanks to God.

With his body bent forward, he would sway as he sang, “Give to Him the glory due His Name…Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” This song, adapted from 1 Chronicles 16:29, was his favorite, and it became mine as well. “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus…” he would sing, and then he’d break into dialogue, saying, “Allow Jesus to usher peace into your soul tonight.” And Jesus did. Before I ever got saved, His peace would flood my soul as I listened to the guitarist.

One evening, after the guitarist finished playing, I asked him to share his beliefs.

“So, you want to know who Jesus is, aye?”

I nodded, “Yes, I do.”

“Jesus is the first person I think about when I awake, and He is the last person I talk to before I sleep. He gives me purpose to my days. I’ll tell you what–since you’re a student, how about you read the Gospel of John, and then come back so we can talk about what you read? This is the Bible’s way of introducing Jesus.”

The guitarist was the second person to suggest that I read the Gospel of John in less than a week. It was sound advice. While I was reading, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. And now, the peace I felt only when I listened to the guitarist, is a peace I have every moment of every day. Even on challenging days, Jesus’ peace remains. He has become my everything.

Come, my beloved [Jesus], let us go forth to the field; let us lodge in the villages. Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth; there will I give thee my loves.

~Song 7:11-12 KJV

1 Chronicles 16:29 instructs us to give Jesus the glory due His name; John 3:16 tells us He came to love us to life; Calvary demonstrates how this plan was carried out. Because of this, we are His ambassadors. 2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV reads, For he [God] hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

In Song of Solomon, we read best how partnering with Jesus results in soul salvation as it did for me. The Bride says, Come…there will I give thee my loves. “Loves” are saved souls, our gift to our Beloved Bridegroom.

Friend, we can do this! Let’s gift Jesus with saved souls.

When we love Jesus in a tangible way, like the guitarist did through his strumming, this opens the door of salvation to those in our sphere of influence. Souls will come into the kingdom as we give Him the glory that is due His name. Whether it’s through painting, writing, singing, playing an instrument, running a business or a ministry, playing sports, or a plethora of other activities the Lord gifts us with, make it your purpose to point people to Jesus Christ through these talents. We cannot give possessions to the King of glory, but we can add souls to the Kingdom.

Lord Jesus, as I give You the glory due Your name, help this to add saved souls to the kingdom.

Amen

Genre: Creative non-fiction

Copyright 2019: The Guitarist: Diane Virginia: All Rights Reserved