Touch Of The Master’s Hand

‘Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile.

“What am I bid, good folks,” he cried.
“Who’ll start the bidding for me?
A dollar, a dollar: then two! Only two?
Two dollars, who’ll make it three?”

“Three dollars, once; three dollars twice;
Going for three”… But no,
From the room far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow.

Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening and loosening the strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: “Now what am I bid for the old violin?”
And he held it up with the bow.

“A thousand, a thousand, who’ll make it two?
Two thousand—and who’ll make it three?
Three thousand once, three thousand twice
And going – going, gone,” said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,
“We do not understand –
What changed it’s worth?” The man replied:
“The touch of the master’s hand.”

And many a man with his life out of tune,
And battered and torn with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd.
Much like the old violin.
A ‘mess of pottage,’ a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on,
He’s going once, and going twice—
He’s going – and almost gone!

But the MASTER comes, and the foolish crowd,
Never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul, and the change that’s been wrought
By the touch of the MASTER’S hand.
- Myra Brooks Welch

‘For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?’ Matthew 16:26 (NKJV)

*Message – What kind of a deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?’

‘Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life…. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.’ Revelation 20:11-12, 15.

‘For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.’ 2 Corinthians 5:10

‘For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.’ Romans 14:10-13

‘…in that day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to his gospel…’ Romans 2:16

‘Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet
your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?’ Matthew 6:25-26

‘And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will…. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.’ Matthew 10:28-29, 31

‘For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?’ Luke 9:25

‘For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.’ James 4:14

‘By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” Their grumbling triggered this story.’ Luke 15:1-3 (Message)

‘Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying “Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!” Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.’ Luke 15:4-7 (Message)

‘Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she’ll call her friends and neighbors: ‘Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!” Count on it—that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God.’ Luke 15:8-10 (Message)

‘Then he said, “There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, ‘Father, I want right now what’s coming to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. It wasn’t long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to the fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slip, but no one would give him any. That brought him to his senses. He said, “All those farmhands working for my father sit down to three meals a day, and here I am starving to death. I’m going back to my father. I’ll say to him, ‘Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.’ He got right up and went home to his father. When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him. The son started his speech: “Father, I’ve sinned against God, I’ve sinned before you; I don’t deserve to be called your son ever again.” But the father wasn’t listening. He was calling to the servants, “Quick, Bring a clean set of clothes and dress him. Put the family ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then get a grain-fed heifer and roast it. We’re going to have a feast! We’re going to have a wonderful time! My son is here – given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!’ And they began to have a wonderful time.’ Luke 15:11-24 (Message)