Reflecting on God's Reminders of Grace and Hope

We've had two graduations in our family in less than a week. One of our daughter Gayle (see below) and last night of our son Chris (pictures coming). At both of these graduations there were moments that reminded me of God's faithfulness, both of the moments came in song.

At Gayle's graduation we sang the song God of the Prophets. It's a song that probably isn't familiar to a lot of people, but there is a verse in it that goes like this, "God of the prophets, bless the prophet's heirs! Elijah's mantle o'er Elisha cast: each age for your own solemn task prepares; make each one stronger, nobler than the last." Oddly enough, this is a song that I sing rather often during my devotions and I sing it for Gayle and her generation. After I sing it I pray a very simple prayer, "God make Gayle and her generation the greatest generation for you and your kingdom there has ever been." I found the singing of that song a great affirmation of God's plan for this generation.

At Chris' graduation it was a different deal. I had dropped Chris off to go inside and decided to park a bit away from the commotion of a couple of thousand people making their way into the building. After I parked my car in a near empty lot and started my hike to building I noticed that there was music playing through speakers in the parking lot. As I listened closely I recognized the music, A Mighty Fortress is our God. I smiled as I remembered a 2 hour night time drive back from the Children's hospital in Albuquerque, NM to our home in Rehoboth. It had been a long hard day, we were exhausted, everyone was sleeping except me as I drove with music plugged into my ears. I wondered how we could keep on given all that was going wrong, with how sick Chris was and then I heard the words of this song, sung by the Calvin Alumni Choir A Mighty Fortress is our God--it was a moment of hope. Now 17 years later at Chris graduation as we look down the path of the uncertain future that faces so many special needs kids there was that song again. I felt both joy and that sense of hope that God has always been and always will be a mighty fortress for Chris and us.