November 20, 2024 Out of Town Fire Truck
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
“Out-of-Town Fire Truck”
“For, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way,
holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
1Timothy 4:8 (NRSVUE)
My wife and I both studied violin with the same professor at the University of Central Florida. During one private lesson as a freshman, a technical issue with my violin technique quickly became apparent. Let me summarize it in three words: My. Left. Pinky.
A quick violin lesson to the non-violinists out there: The left-hand fingers press the strings on the violin’s fingerboard (i.e. “neck”), and to play quickly, they must stay close to the strings, ready for the next note.
Except my pinky didn’t. “Eric, your fourth finger is so high off the fingerboard it’s almost pointing to the ceiling!” my professor exclaimed in her strong Japanese accent. “You know what that’s like? An out-of-town fire truck. Not very useful when you need it.”
Whoops.
That phrase has stuck with me, not just as a musician, but in reflecting on my faith. There have been moments when my faith felt like that “out-of-town fire truck”—distant and unprepared when I needed it most. During life’s crises, God seemed distant, but despite that perception, God was still very present. In truth, it was my own inconsistent daily spiritual habits and lack of involvement with a caring faith community that left me scrambling to reconnect.
Faith, like music, requires routine attention. In 1 Timothy 4:8, Paul reminds us, “for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” It’s the consistent, small steps—scripture readings, praying, and serving—that build the spiritual “muscle memory” to rely on God instinctively, whether in moments of joy or challenge.
Just as my professor assigned tedious exercises to reset my pinky closer to the fingerboard, we can embrace the “unexciting” disciplines of faith, trusting that they prepare us for the unexpected. We can commit to those small, daily practices today, knowing that God is forming us to be ready for life’s next note.
Reflect: What small, consistent practices could you add to your daily life to strengthen your faith?How has God shown up for you in past moments of crisis, even when you felt distant from God?
Pray: Gracious God, thank You for always being near, even when I feel unprepared or distant. Help me to turn to You daily and trust that You are shaping me through small acts of faithfulness. Guide me to develop habits that draw me closer to You and help me live out Your love in all I do. In Jesus’ name, Amen
With faith, hope, and love,
Eric Smith