Our move to Grady’s Walk has been a successful journey and a tremendous joy.  Through this process, each of us has had to let go of something that we no longer need or something that no longer serves its purpose.   Some of these decisions were easy to make, while others were not so easy. 

One item that took a great deal of consideration was our family piano that my parents purchased in Odessa, TX in 1971.  The piano is a beautiful piece of furniture manufactured in New York by Fisher in the 1870’s and is in exceptional condition.  It made its initial journey from Odessa to Houston in 1975 at my request; I was 9 and had high hopes of learning how to play.  My mother passed it on to Angie and me before we moved to Maryland in 2007, and we were very thankful for the gift.  Then, it made the 1,500 mile journey from Houston to Bowie, and soon after our arrival Josh and Nathan initiated their piano careers on it.  I was thrilled to see two of my sons do something I never learned to do.

However, not long into the boy’s music lessons the piano received a good tuning.  We learned then that regardless who played the piano it was “dead” and would need a major overhaul.  I was very disappointed.  After 30 years and 3 major moves, was this going to be the end of the Meador family piano?  So much had been invested in the piano already.  Certainly I could not get rid of it now that my children were playing?  But the piano was “on its last legs” and had more value as a piece of furniture than a musical instrument, the cost to restore the piano being greater than its value.  It would not be able to continue to serve the purpose for which it was built and a decision needed to be made.  Would we hang onto this piece of furniture with little musical but high sentimental value or move toward something different to meet the current needs of our family and community?

In 2 Kings we learn about the leadership of Hezekiah who was placed in a similar situation where he needed to do some house cleaning. 

God was very pleased with his leadership, in fact 2 Kings 18:3 indicates that Hezekiah did what “was right in the Lord’s sight.”  Let’s consider some of the things Hezekiah did to keep Israel current with the movement of God.

First, he tore down altars that were constructed for make-believe gods (2Kings 18:4 He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles).  In doing this, he removed clutter and obstacles that distracted Israel from worshiping God.  Most of us would applause a leader who removed pagan idols.  But what Hezekiah removed next was radical. 

Carefully read the next part of verse 4, He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made… WOW!  The bronze snake was God’s idea and obediently made by Moses.  It was a provision from God to bring healing to Israel in their time of need.  It was a powerful symbol of God’s healing presence with them (Numbers 21:4-8).  When a person was bitten by a snake all they had to do was have faith to “look at it and live.”  Hezekiah took the bronze snake and like a frustrated baseball player, broke it like a bat over his knee, kicking the pieces around in the dugout.  He destroyed the family idol that Israel had been worshiping with incense.

Hezekiah knew it was time to clean house.  The bronze snake was no longer serving its purpose to heal people who were snake bitten.  Over time it became a sacred idol.  Here is the lesson.  What items in our spiritual lives are we holding onto that no longer serve their purpose?  Instead of the item/tool serving you and I, we are now serving it.  God calls this idolatry and idols show up in many forms in almost any area of life.  Idolatry is sin and God desires our full attention and obedience to Him.  Traditions, perceptions, personal-preference, furniture, times, places, names… all can be obstacles to take our attention off of Jesus.  None of these objects or ideas should ever take the place of the crucified and risen Messiah who calls us to worship through a transformed mind in spirit and truth (Romans 12:1-2; John 4:23-24).

Because of the faithfulness of God’s people at Redeemer we are experiencing the wonderful renewing presence of God.  Keep praying for His Spirit to renew us each day.  Pray for obedient hearts to worship.  Pray for repenting souls to come to know Jesus as Lord.  Pray for idols in our lives to be renounced.  Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; and His love endures forever.

For a variety of reasons, Angie and I decided the piano should not make the move from Lerner Place to Grady’s Walk.  We were delighted to pass it on to a military family looking for a piano with which to teach their children.  We were sad to see it go as we had become attached to it in many ways.  But the timing was right… it was time to let go of this instrument that could have quickly become a family idol, a big, heavy and hard to move idol.  I will remember the piano and its long journey in our family, its beauty and unique characteristics.  Now it gets to be used as a “new piano” by someone else.  Who knows, I may even learn how to play our new piano one of these days.  My mom would be so thrilled.

Blessings,