The Touch of the Master's Hand

One of the most famous musicians of the nineteenth-century was a self-taught Norwegian violinist named Ole Bull (18 10-1880). He was a composer and artist of amazing skill who toured Europe and America with enormous success. During his lifetime, he was the world’s most renowned violinist. But he wasn’t known by everyone.

One day while traveling in the forests of Europe, he became lost and in the dark of night stumbled upon a log hut, the home of a hermit. The old man took him in, fed and warmed him, and after supper they sat in front of a blazing fireplace and the old hermit picked some crude tunes on his screechy, battered violin.

“Do you think I could play on that?” asked Ole Bull. “I don’t think so,” replied the hermit. “It took me years to learn.” Ole Bull replied, “Let me tr y.”

Taking the old marred violin, he drew the bow across the strings and suddenly the hermit’s hut was filled with music so beautiful the hermit sobbed like a child. We are battered instruments; life’s strings have been snapping; life’s bow has been bent. Yet if we will only let Him take us and touch us, from this old battered, broken, shattered, marred instrument, He will bring forth music fit for the angels.