God With Us!

Psalm 46: 4-7

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,  
     the holy habitation of the Most High.  
God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
     God will help it when the morning dawns. 
The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
     he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
     the God of Jacob is our refuge.

This verse in various forms has been creeping into my thoughts and my cries.  My world is shaken.  My job uncertain, my life full of responsibilities and messes that exceed my time and abilities.
I am stretched thin and weary.  The snow continues to fall and it  is truly beautiful.
But… it stands as a metaphor for my life-

It is heavy. I am constantly digging out.
And. it. keeps. falling.

Today I picked up a book given to me a long time ago.  Where All Hope Lies by James R. VanTholen. I headed to the Liturgical Season in this book of Sermons and found something from God for my season of life.  Something for any of us who are living in a broken world and looking for God to speak into it all.

Psalm 46.  I will not fear.  Everything right now seems vulnerable. My daughter about to enter high school is vulnerable.  My house filled with broken things and my roof with ice dam is vulnerable. My administrator healing from a serious accident in both legs, trying to grab normalcy and return to life is vulnerable.  My co-workers and I facing job uncertainties are vulnerable.  My financial future, with three children in Christian schools is vulnerable.  My good friend suffering from grief with the loss of a father and other close family tragedies is vulnerable.

And then, in the middle of it all.

"There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.  God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved."  

In my world, everything is out of control.  My life is total chaos.  BUT. The city of God is not moved.

So… I WILL NOT FEAR!

I have strength that doesn't come from power, money, influence, popularity or my job. I have the opportunity to remember that in my weakness, God can be glorified. Despite what I want to see happen in any of my circumstances, I have the opportunity to honor God in this time, this place, this circumstance.  And I will not be broken.  God is near.

"No matter how hard the earth shakes, the city of God stands eternal."   James R. VanTholen

A Bit of Heaven

Sometimes we catch a glimpse of Heaven that reminds us of God's great love and care for His children. To me, these are moments that speak of God's incredible grace; full and undeserved. Today, I experienced  a glimpse of Heaven in the middle of a busy day and in an even busier season of life. God drew near and with a gentle nudge, reminded me that He is here and His Spirit is at work in the lives of His people in Grand Rapids, MI and all over the world.  

The Calvin College Women's Chorale departed from West Michigan this morning for a 12 day journey to South Africa. Grace, my oldest child and a member of Calvin's Women's Chorale, needed a ride to the airport.  I adjusted my schedule so I could see her off as she headed on this adventure.

We arrived at the airport at 9:15 a.m. and Grace jumped into the line to check her luggage.  I found myself among a small group of parents; some I knew and others I did not.  I eyed this eager group of young women, and observed great excitement mingled with anxiety; concerns of acceptable baggage weight, forgotten items including a camera, phone charger and a passport bubbled to the surface as the choir members made their way through the baggage lines.  When the last few girls finally completed the check-in process, Dr. Pearl Shangkuan, the Women's Chorale Choir director, approached our group of lingering parents, and invited us to join the choir for a brief time of prayer before their departure.  

Choir members, chaperones, and parents assembled in a large huddle, near the Security check-point.  I began a mental list, wondering if my daughter had truly packed all she needed for the trip. My nervous thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Dr. Shangkuan reading scripture; Psalm 121:1-4 followed by a request for a pitch from a choir member.  A young woman, standing to my left, gave the choir three pitches and the Calvin College Women's Chorale began to sing.  An amazing sound rose as the words of Mendelssohn's  Lift Thine Eyes, filled the airport terminal. The beauty was profound. It was as though the heavens opened, as the girls' angelic voices proclaimed in unison, 

"Lift thine eyes to the mountains, whence cometh help?
Thy help cometh from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He hath said, thy foot shall not be moved,
thy Keeper will never slumber."  

The power of these words sank into my soul.  Suddenly I realized that the normal airport bustle in our small area in the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, had come to a sudden halt. The only sound, the words of Psalm 121, reminding these young women, their parents and all those blessed to hear it, that help for each of us, comes from the Maker of Heaven and earth.  

I tried to relish the beauty of the scene playing out before me. Tears filled my eyes. This was a sacred moment; we were standing on holy ground!  Workers smiled as they briefly stopped their work and took in the song.  Travelers moving through the area paused to listen. Our circle of parents and choir members was a bit larger joined by several, new, curious faces.  As the music came to an end, tears streamed down my face. 

I looked out at the crowd of Calvin students and thankful parents, blinking back their own tears. Airport employees, travelers passing by and parents clapped. Dr. Shangkuan asked a gentleman accompanying the Women's Chorale to South Africa, to offer a prayer. Those gathered, bowed heads in prayer, joined together by the Spirit of the Living God.  I don't remember all the words offered in that prayer but I do know that my heart was filled with a prayer of joy and thanksgiving, that is beyond words.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!  

Psalm 121:1-4

New King James Version (NKJV)

A Song of Ascents.

121 I will lift up my eyes to the hills—
From whence comes my help?
² My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not allow your foot to be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, He who keeps Israel
Shall neither slumber nor sleep.