"Awake, awake, utter a song" (Judg. 5:12). One Christmastime I was awakened to a wonderful thought that enabled me to "utter" many songs. I am a singer. I was booked to entertain at a lovely resort hotel on Christmas night but needed a pianist to play for me. I called one after another, but none was available.
Then I was alerted by a favorite Bible verse: "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10). In this prayerful stillness I was inspired to turn the need around. Instead of trying to meet my need for a pianist, I recognized that there was a pianist who needed the engagement, needed to give joy and happiness with his or her talent, on Christmas night. Science and Health by Mrs. Eddy tells us, "Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need" (p. 494). I knew this to be true and had been grateful for it many times. Soon the telephone rang. It was a friend suggesting I call a certain pianist. I was sure he would not be available because he was the busiest pianist in town. But my friend insisted so I called. The pianist was delighted because he had no family and said he usually spent Christmas alone waxing the floor. This led to a wonderful professional relationship that lasted many years.
This concept of turning the need around became a regular habit for me. In praying for my branch church, I would know some member needed the activity of serving just where the church needed him or her. On one occasion, the member that needed the activity was me! I was asked to be music committee chairman and immediately turned it down. I loved the job I was doing and didn't want to give it up. Right away I got busy praying—and the idea that some church member needed the activity of being music chairman was central to my prayer. Suddenly I was awakened to the fact that I was the one who needed it. Well, I really had to laugh at myself. So I accepted this chairmanship and it turned out to be the most joyous, harmonious experience I ever had in church work.
