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An old friend returns

On Wednesday afternoon November 4th, 2009, we were about to do sound check for our concert in Wagga. Mick Baker, who serves on the leadership team at the church called me back stage and opened a well traveled guitar case in the corner. He asked me if I recognised the vintage guitar inside. Of course I did. It was the first guitar I ever purchased back in 1978.

A classic 1974 Takamine acoustic I bought from one of my heroes, Dave Diprose. This was the guitar that I penned many of my early songs with and did countless gigs with in sweaty smoke filled pubs around my home town of Wollongong. But that was years ago. I sold it to a friend in about 1983. Mick bought it from a classified ad in a local newspaper. It was run down and damaged. After getting it restored he did some research and found it once belonged to Steve Grace. He has used it to lead worship in church and has done missions trips to developing countries with it. I asked Mick if I could do a song with the old Takamine in the concert that night. He was glad to oblige. But after the concert he came up to me and handed me the old travel companion. “This needs to go home with you in the van mate, it is a legacy of your ministry and the Lord wants you to have it back”. I was completely dumbfounded and deeply moved by this wonderful gesture. My old friend returned. Thank you Mick. I will never forget this gift.


“There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents”. Luke 15:10

Yet the joy of being reunited with this old workhorse is nothing like the joy the Father must have when one lost soul is returned to faith. Repentance is not about shame and sorrow. It is about righting what is wrong in our lives so that we can once again return to the fullness of God’s blessings, protection and providence. Repentance is about a fresh revelation of our need to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and turn from our proud, self destructive ways. God does not desire that any should perish. That is a choice we make. Therefore This is what the Lord says:

“If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless words you will be my spokesman”. Jeremiah 15:19

Let us be found speaking words of worth and living out life with a repentant heart. In season and out of season we can be like a precious instrument restored and returned to play a new song of joy to the Lord.

Godspeed.

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