G (treble) Clef

Gratitude is the lens through which we should view every circumstance, situation, issue, and decision in life because a thankful heart leads to joy and contentment. When it is absent, uninvited guests such as entitlement, jealousy, grumbling, hate speech, scorn, greed, fits of rage, and depression come crashing the party of our hearts, turning us into miserable creatures.

So, I want to choose gratitude daily. I am grateful for God, life, health, and material blessings. I am thankful for my family, friends, and food. I am full of gratitude for the limitless blessings that I have in Jesus, my Savior and King.

Another blessing for which I am thankful is the divine gift of music. I recently shared with my siblings and friends how vital my understanding of music has been to my spiritual growth and I continue to be amazed by the connections I see between music and faith. 

For example, what if music were to stop its contribution to this world for 24 hours straight? The leaves would cease their rustling, the wind would stop blowing, the waves of the ocean would disappear, the sun would stop shining, people would stop breathing -- in short, life would cease to exist because there would be no movement. It is perhaps this acute sensitivity to music that heightens my awareness of the potential layers of meaning hidden in music symbols.

One of the first symbols I learned in sight-singing class at the North Haiti Music Camp was the G (treble) clef. I remember being told how its presence on the staff gave specific names to each line and space represented. Like many music students, I learned the names of the five lines on the staff by memorizing the well-known phrase “Every Good Boy Does Fine” and the acronym “F.A.C.E” for the spaces. Since music instruction was quite rare in Haiti, I soon realized how blessed I was to be able to look at those symbols on a page and figure out the sounds they represented.

Well, the treble clef has been on my mind lately. I have been meditating on its importance in deciphering music. For instance, if one were to look at a musical staff devoid of a clef and attempt to read it, the musician would be at a loss trying to determine the true pitch of the melody. The same notes would sound quite different depending on the clef used (bass, alto, tenor, soprano, etc). It would be safe to conclude that a clef is necessary in the process of decoding musical notation.

As I think of gratitude, it dawns on me that the treble clef is often paid no heed and simply taken for granted by musicians from all walks of life. It makes me wonder, “When was the last time I was grateful for the treble clef?” Fully convicted, I resolve to be grateful each time I see that G clef because it means that I am one of the fortunate few who know how to decipher every note written on the staff.

The word "clef" is a French word which means "key." A key is an important item that gives its owner access to and authority over restricted information. For instance, a key may give us access to a house. With the key in hand, we may enter the property and do whatever we please therein. Likewise, a key may give us authority over the affairs of the home – any special knowledge that is not available to the uninitiated. We will know where the important family keepsake is held and other mundane things such as kitchen utensils, toiletries, and toys.

The Lord Jesus similarly recognizes the importance of keys on our faith journey. In Matthew 16:16, it is recorded that Peter confessed to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In response, Jesus said,

“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, 

for this was not revealed to you by man, 

but by my Father in heaven. 

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, 

and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; 

whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, 

and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 

(Matthew 16:17-19, NIV)

I am grateful for the above passage because it speaks so clearly about the role played by God’s keys in our spiritual growth: 

• It reveals the grace of God. Just like Peter, it is God’s grace which reveals to us that Jesus is God the Son. The identity of Christ as God is the foundation of His church.
• It reveals the power of God which brings us to the point where we can acknowledge His lordship over us and confess it with our mouths (and hearts). In fact, Philippians 2 points to the day when “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
• It reveals our true identity as blessed instruments in God’s hands. At the moment of our acknowledgment of God’s authority, He calls us by name, tells us who we are in Him, and reveals what He intends for us to do for His kingdom. 
• It reveals that we are part of a greater whole (the body of Christ), ensuring that we are secure when we remain cognizant of Christ’s lordship and the fellowship of other believers. 
• It reveals that we have the keys of the kingdom of heaven which are the rock-solid truths found in God’s Word. The more we learn to hide God’s Word in our hearts and apply it in our lives, the more readily and freely we can open the door of His kingdom to those who do not know Christ.

Those five points mirror the five lines of the musical staff. Just like we chanted “Every Good Boy Does Fine” as we were learning the names of the lines at the beginning of our musical journey, we can be assured that “every believer will do fine,” as it were, if those five points are kept close to the heart. 

Correspondingly, just like the acronym “F.A.C.E” represents the names of the spaces on the five-line staff, the “spaces” or seasons of our lives will reflect the face and character of God to the world as those five truths are lived out through our behavior and faith. 

Still, a most important item that puts it all together is a key. Just like the G clef helps us read the music written on the staff, it is the key of gratitude that clarifies our minds to receive God’s special revelation. As Romans 1:21 points out, when we fail to acknowledge God as God and neglect to thank Him for His benefits, our minds become confused, darkened, and futile.

Therefore, the believer’s G (treble) clef is gratitude. Our response to God’s favor should always be one of gratitude. It is gratitude that unleashes the fullness of God’s mercy, love, and provision. It is gratitude that gives us access to and authority over the blessings God has granted to us.

In fact, Ephesians 1:3 highlights the fact that God has given us every spiritual blessing in Christ. Every word, thought, action, step, note, everything comes from Him. He has given us musical abilities to conduct, play, sing, arrange, compose, accompany, and so much more for His glory. So, we are to express our gratitude to Jesus with humility, gentleness, love, and joy. The Bible commands us to give thanks to God in all circumstances and on all occasions. When we are grateful, God receives all the glory and He delights in us.

Holy Jesus, we confess that You are Christ, the Son of the Living God. We bow down and worship You. We are grateful to You for all Your blessings and kindnesses which are renewed to us every morning. Help gratitude to become our decoding system for every situation we face. With thankful hearts, we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen!