In 2006, I was so thankful for all the things God had done for me that I surrendered the guitar to him. I promised that I would never again play songs that had profanity on the guitar or other songs that were displeasing the Lord. So the stolen guitar really belonged to him. I thought about the guitar often. I repeatedly had to surrender the guitar again to the Lord. I was that bitter about the guitar. For those who don't play music, a guitar is like your child. I had to surrender the stolen guitar again only last week.
On Tuesday night, I went to a public Hanukkah menorah lighting in the town square. In the opening comments, the rabbi mentioned a free raffle for a guitar. A guitar, you say? Reeaallly? So me and my wife entered the raffle. Then her friends showed up and my wife mentioned the raffle. More competition. Great. And they won the raffle. I know it was just a guitar, but I walked away disappointed. I didn't realize that I should have stayed around.
They had seen the look of excitement on my face before the raffle. They secretly agreed to give me the guitar if they won. They caught up with us on the road. I told them the story of my stolen guitar and how much their kindness meant to me.
It is not the same guitar that was stolen. It is the one God wants me to own. He worked it out in a way that made sure the guitar was mine. It is a gift from the Lord. I surrendered this guitar to the Lord. I will be the steward only as long as He allows. Its guaranteed to be replaced if lost or stolen. However, it will never be sold.
The guitar, like salvation, is a free gift the Lord. How can I turn down a gift from God or exchange it? The guitar can only be given away and only if God leads.