Solo Piano Unheard

February 20, 2023 By Stanton Lanier 4 Comments

Solo Piano Unheard released February 16, 2023. Stream on Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, YouTube, Amazon Music, and all music services, or click below to listen as you read why and how I composed it. Wishing you God’s grace and peace today…

Solo Piano Unheard is about taking time to pause…to listen for, look for, notice, and receive hope and beauty in the midst of life’s tension and mystery. The long rings of the piano strings, the gentle melodies, and the carefully selected harmonies interweave my hopeful certainty with my fears and doubts. I wanted the strings to ring long as a representation of life’s “unheard” moments when we are listening for God’s voice, but we wonder if He is hearing us. I have found He is always right there with me and for me, even it doesn’t feel like it. In His time, and in a very personal way, He lets me know He sees me, knows me, and loves me in the midst of whatever I am going through.

There is something about solo piano that can be so breathtaking, so provocative, and so compelling. This song has unique pauses and rhythms creating a back forth conversation between the notes and the silence, between my questioning and God’s answering. The tempo picks up in the middle, but then slows down again, illustrating the pacing and variety each day brings as I seek to live out my faith whether my cup is full, empty, or somewhere in between. The Scripture verse containing the title word “unheard” is found in Isaiah 52, which speaks to Jesus carrying our pains and Him suffering on our behalf, in order that we may be saved by His grace when we listen, hear, and believe.

How does Solo Piano Unheard sing over your life today?

For what was unheard of they’ll see with their own eyes, what was unthinkable they’ll have right before them. > Isaiah 52:15 (MSG)

For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand. > Isaiah 52:15 (NIV)

This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. > Matthew 13:13-14 (NIV)

That’s why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward a welcome awakening. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they’re blue in the face and not get it. I don’t want Isaiah’s forecast repeated all over again: Your ears are open but you don’t hear a thing. Your eyes are awake but you don’t see a thing. > Matthew 13:13-14 (MSG)

…faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. > Romans 10:17 (NIV)

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. > Romans 10:17 (NKJV)

Gaze Upon the Beauty

August 24, 2021 By Stanton Lanier 16 Comments

Today is release day for Gaze Upon the Beauty. Listen on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, all music platforms, or click below. As you listen, scroll down and read the story behind this stilling melody offering peace and beauty.

This piece is expressing the simple (but not easy) idea to practice stillness before God, to gaze upon His beauty, and to listen for His voice. It brings to mind the Scripture passage “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10), and the Bible story of Mary and Martha, when Jesus said Mary did a “beautiful thing” listening intently at His feet, while Martha was busy about many things (Luke 10:38-42).

After years of “striving to achieve” (how I describe my approach to life and career goals in my 20s), God began helping me pursue His idea of “abiding to receive.” His definition of success is different from the ways of the world. He invites me to meditate on His Word, practice what it says, listen for His voice, and seek to obey what He would have me to do. Then, God says, “you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8). His ways and His thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9).

These are some of the threads woven into Gaze Upon the Beauty. The inspiration and the music invite me to be more still and less hurried, to have more calm and less busyness, and to know more peace in the midst of life’s storms. This is why the piano has such a simple repeating melody, and why the tempo is very slow. The cello notes begin “singing” the words “Gaze upon the beauty” very slowly over the piano. Then the piano and French horn take us into a long gaze, meditating on God’s beauty, and reminding us of His beauty we see in people and creation around us. Finally the horn sings the “Gaze upon the beauty” melody a few more times while the cello harmonizes. The piano climbs higher and higher to a simple, uplifting ending. The swelling orchestral strings underneath add to the profound treasure available to us in these simple truths.

What does “Gaze Upon the Beauty” mean to you?

“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire (meditate) in his temple.” Psalm 27:4 (ESV)

Power of Being before Doing

October 31, 2017 By Stanton Lanier Leave a Comment

Click above to stream Counting the Sand of the Sea from my 10th album Climb to the Sky as you read…

Have you experienced the transforming power of Being before Doing?

In March 2006 our house was robbed. It was the middle of the day. Our son and daughter were at elementary school, and my wife and I were out. A neighbor said they saw a person standing at our front door, who appeared to be soliciting. Instead they were the lookout, while a team of robbers broke in a back window, tore through our house in a few minutes, and stole everything they could find that was small and valuable. My wife and I were wearing our wedding rings, and I was at a meeting with my notebook computer, but otherwise $10,000 of jewelry and cameras — even the money in our kids’ piggy banks — was gone for good. All the sentimental value of each item was lost. Even many years later, this is a painful memory. It took time for me to surrender my anger and frustration to God, and to fully forgive these people.

I believe there is a key element of our lives we can be robbed of every day if we’re not careful. It’s the practice and discipline of “Being before Doing.” It seems like a small thing, but it’s actually huge and has great value. In our “doing” we should not settle for results that are only good or better, when God’s “very best” is available to us. His best outcomes are the “much fruit” Jesus promises in John 15:5 if we abide in Him.

According to Nielsen Research, the average American spends about 11 hours a day staring at a screen. We know we use our screens for work and leisure, but some of our screen time is robbing us of “Being” time. This leads to God’s “much fruit” being stolen from our “Doing” time.

I captured the below photo during a recent family hike in Arches National Park, Utah. We totally unplugged for five days of fall vacation. A few days after getting home, God revealed an entire new song within a few hours, which is much faster than normal. It was one of those “watch this” moments where He demonstrated how after some quality “being” time, He can “do” things very quickly and powerfully. Instead of more striving we need more abiding and being, so God can do the striving and doing for us.

Do you maintain a healthy pattern of “Being Before Doing?” This most likely requires you to unplug from every device, or at least go offline. When was the last time you invested one hour, or maybe even one day or one week, to just “be” and not “do”?

Do you routinely have a clear sense of hearing God’s voice in your life? Of knowing what He wants you to do next? Of knowing when He checks your spirit, and lets you know to wait?

I love Frederick Buechner’s quote, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Ravi Zacharias reminds us there are great needs in the world, but God asks only that we take on our portion.

We all have a special purpose to make a positive difference in the world, to bring hope and healing to people’s lives. However, only God can bear 100% of humanity’s pain and suffering, the ways we judge, compare, hurt or think wrongfully of each other instead of loving, serving, and encouraging one another. Only God has the bandwidth to provide 100% of the hope, healing, and leadership needed to transform our lives and the lives He touches through us.

So what is your portion? Have you unplugged and asked Him? Have you quieted your world, eliminated all distractions, and asked God to help you hear His voice? What He wants you to do next?

Picture me holding up a DSLR camera with a large lens. Let the DSLR camera represent our Being. Now, think of me holding up my phone beside the DSLR camera. Let the phone symbolize our Doing. This word picture has a lot of depth and meaning. Think about how investing in the value of our Being (the high resolution, focus, and magnification) powers the fruitfulness of our Doing (daily tasks, projects, and applications to make a positive difference).

How could you benefit from some “being” time right now?

Hearing The Voice

May 20, 2014 By Stanton Lanier 10 Comments

Click above to listen to The Voice, the title track from the album The Voice (recorded at the George Lucas Skywalker Sound Studio). If you enjoy, consider purchasing the song, album download, or CD from Amazon, iTunes, or stantonlanier.com (where sheet music is also available).

Do you long, like me, to hear God’s voice more clearly in a noisy world?

I have discovered this is possible, but it takes some patience and practice to experience hearing God’s voice more often, and with more clarity. The disciplines of simplicity, silence, solitude and surrender play an integral part. However, the key is to take the first step. Here is some of my story and what I have learned.

By the time I was in high school I had become a worrier and perfectionist, and was overly conscious of what others thought of me. The voice I often heard in my mind was my own, criticizing my performance and pouring on more pressure to succeed. God was part of my life, but it took a long time before I deeply explored the possibility of hearing His voice. Could He actually guide my steps in life? Could He provide the wisdom, discernment and comfort that I needed? Could I really hear His voice?

The more I have pursued this, the more I have encountered profound conversations and intimacy with a God who cares for me beyond my comprehension. Tell God you would like to hear His voice more clearly. Ask Him to speak into your life, to instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, to give you counsel, and to watch over you (Psalm 32:8). Thank Him for His promise to surround you with His love as you trust in Him (Psalm 32:10). Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8).

Try playing the solo piano title track from The Voice in an extra quiet place . . . be still . . . and listen. Listen. Be quiet. Listen. Be still. Listen.

Can you hear The Voice? What is God’s gentle whisper, His still, small voice speaking to your heart?

“. . . the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still, small voice . . . Elijah heard the voice. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.'” (1 Kings 19:11-13; Isaiah 30:21)

31 Days of December Peace: Day 23 ~ God is not Silent

December 23, 2012 By Stanton Lanier Leave a Comment

The new 31 Days of December Peace eBook is available for only $4.99. Download at stantonlanier.com or the Amazon Kindle Store.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14

Meditation
Despite what anyone may think or feel, despite what you may have felt at times, God is not silent. Throughout history, he has used whatever it took to reach the ears of the people whom he loved. He spoke to Moses on a mountain so people would know how to live. He spoke to Elijah in a still small voice to tell him that he was not alone and that his mission was not completed. He spoke to Ezekiel through a vision so that Ezekiel would not fail to tell his exiled people that God could go anywhere. He spoke through dreams and visions and visitations, through angels, through a donkey, through his law. He spoke volumes through the prophets, who each received a certain measure of the revelation of God. But their revelation was incomplete. So God, himself, in the flesh, came down. God’s final word to mankind was Jesus Christ, Son of God, the “image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15), “the radiance of God’s glory” (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus did not just speak about God or for God (as the prophets had). He spoke as God. The entire universe belonged to a tiny baby in a manger who would grow up and speak the most important words we would ever hear. No wonder we failed to understand. But now that we do, we must do as Moses commanded: when the one God sends comes, we must listen to everything he tells us.

Prayer
Holy Son of the living God, all the Scripture that was written prior to your incarnation pointed directly to you and anticipated your person and work. You are the perfect fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies that spoke of your redeeming work as the Savior of the world, and of the prophecies that remain to be fulfilled when you come to judge the world and rule in righteousness. It is clear to me that I cannot fully understand your great story without the witness of inspired Scripture prior to the coming of the Lord Jesus. Remind me to regularly expose myself to the whole counsel of your Word by drinking deeply from the well of both Testaments. Grant me the time to read, meditate, pray and trust in your promises found there, and allow me to see Jesus in every page. In your life-giving name I pray. Amen.