GREAT THINGS ENTERPRISE
CLAUDE BLACK
Mark 6:32
The Boat
Musicians talk about “grace notes,” which are notes that composers add to a melody to enhance its expressiveness and decoration. The short, quick notes are usually played before the main note, adding emotion and nuance to the piece. Metaphorically, “grace notes” can describe those small, often overlooked incidents and items that enrich and enhance life.
As I write these words, I’m sitting in a chair that I purchased years ago. I remember sitting in several chairs, testing them for comfort and support, and finally selecting this chair. I rarely think about the chair as I’m doing now. It’s just there. I sit in it when I read, study, or write. When I go to the store, I usually drive a Chevrolet S10 pickup. I don’t consciously think about getting in the truck, inserting the key, starting the engine, and so on—the truck is just there.
Without the chair or the S10, my day would be very different. These little things, usually taken for granted, represent two of the many things that enrich and enhance the day—“grace notes.”
After his disciples returned from their first successful ministry itinerary, Jesus wanted them to go with him to a quiet place and rest because their work had not allowed them time to rest and revive. They were so occupied that they didn’t have time to eat. “And they departed in the boat to a solitary place by themselves.” (Mark 6:32)
I read several comments on this pithy, short sentence, and only one writer mentioned the boat in which Jesus and the disciples traveled. The one commentator who did mention the boat thought that it was the boat that Jesus usually had at hand. Okay. But to whom did the boat belong? How long and wide was it? How many passengers could it hold? Was it similar to all the other boats? The boat was one of those “grace notes” that enhance life. The prominent words in this sentence that draw the reader’s focus are “they” and “solitary place.”
Wow! When I begin to think about those “grace notes,” I’m not sure there’s enough time in the day to express thankfulness.
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