He Leads, He Sings

Happy Birthday yesterday to our baby--our 11 year old baby, Peter! 11 years ago yesterday, the youngest of our 5 eternal treasures was born. My wonderful Daddy had advanced cancer at the time of his birth, but I thank the Lord that he was still alive to celebrate the birth of the youngest of his 13 grandchildren. One of our most precious pictures is of Daddy holding Peter in his arms and surrounded by one of my nieces and our children. Daddy went home to be with the Lord (and with Mama and so many beloved friends and family) just a few weeks after Peter's birth. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord. Thank You for all our gifts, Lord--some come wrapped in shiny, vibrant paper and are easily recognized as the joyous gifts they are. Some, however, are a bit more muted, even disguised and wrapped, perhaps, in sorrow or struggle, but they are gifts, nonetheless, that You allow and use in our lives to ultimately bring a different kind of joy... a harder, but often deeper joy that transcends our circumstances. What a difference when we know it all--ALL--passes through Your perfect, nail pierced hands.

So thank You for the gifts we hold in our hands today--like our precious Peter--and those gifts we have released to You, trusting that the Giver of all good gifts knows best and holds best and loves best.

Just one other note: Today I was rushing around like a madwoman (something new and different). A very very very long wait at a doctor's office with Peter had resulted in my being late to an important meeting. My stomach was in a knot as I pushed the pedal to the metal in a futile attempt to cut a minute or two off of my late arrival. As I inwardly griped and fumed and worried, something told me to cut on the radio. And the very first word of a song I had never heard until the other night came on the radio. It was a song my daughter had played for me the night before last--her singing group at church would be singing it, and she wanted me to hear it. And I had loved it--upbeat, fun, and a great message. Well, wouldn't you know it, at that very moment, as I drove along in a knot of nerves, the song began the exact moment I turned on the radio. The first words: "I've got waves that are tossing' me..." Yeah, I got the waves crashing over me, down pat!

But this faithless, worried heart began to sing along:

"And this world may push, may pull, but your love it never fails,

You lead, I'll follow, Your hands hold my tomorrow,

Your grip, Your grace, You know the way,

You guide me tenderly,

When you lead, I'll follow,

Just light the way and I'll go,

Cause I know what you got for me is more than I can see,

So lead me on, on, on, and on,

Just lead me on, on, on, and on."

Aren't you glad He leads, and we follow? Aren't you glad it doesn't all depend upon you, upon your puny efforts, your vacillating strength, your inadequate wisdom?

Nope, if we're late to the meeting, the world will not spin off it's axis. And if our child misses the mark or our loved one disappoints or we fail... again, our Lord's not stunned or crushed or at a loss. 'Cause His plans are perfect, and His love never fails, and His grace covers, and He keeps leading on and on and on and on. Our job: just keep following. He leads; we follow. And trust that He knows the way... all the way home. And while we're following, He'll put a song in our soul like He did with me today.

One of my very favorite verses: "The Lord your God is in your midst, A victorious Warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy." (Zephaniah 3:17) He is singing over you! He is singing with you! With joy, with love, with rejoicing... and all as your Victorious Warrior. Boy, you gotta love that! His song changes everything!

By the time I got to that meeting, every knot of worry was gone as I sang along at the top of my voice--"You lead, I'll follow, Your hands hold my tomorrow.... Just lead me on , on, on, and on...."

And He will... all the way home to our eternal Home with Him. Just keep following and listening for His song. To our Savior, our Song, be all the glory.