Dancin'

Today was the funeral for the young teen that lost his lift earlier this week. What an incredible funeral that had me leaving with hope, encouragement and an example of perseverance. I had this young man in middle school ministry several years back and it was really neat to hear young people and old people alike speak of what a God-fearing person he had grown to be. Towards the end of the service Tom Sterbens sang a spoke a few words about Hugh. Tom is a close friend of our family and an EXTREMELY talented vocalist and songwriter and speaker. His thoughts are sometimes a little above my thinking (he is so intelligent) but today his words were simple. He spoke of Hugh (the father of the deceased young man) and he shared a phrase that Hugh apparently assaults people with because he says it so much. GOSH I WISH I COULD REMEMBER THE WHOLE THING!!!! This is it in a nutshell....God is who has always been and he will do what he has always done. He has no pretercessors.
How true and encouraging is that?! After sharing a little about their relationship he sang a song that he wrote himself...Audience Of One. (AMAZING) While he was singing I could see from the farthest corner in the back of the church a large hand raised on the front row. After straining for a moment I realized it was Hugh's. WOW! This man's 16 year old son just died and he was praising God in a symbolic surrender for all to see.
My prayer today:
God life is not easy. I know that we must daily pick up our cross and follow you. This is not easy. With life, comes joy, happiness, times of despair, loss, grief, trial and so much more. Help me today to be a public example of a stable, consistent, God-fearing, trusting, unshakable follower of your word. In times of loss, let me search no further than you. In times of joy, remind me only you provide joy with fullness. In times of happiness, help me to thank you for your many blessings. In times of despair, be the lifter of my head. In times of grief, embrace me with your peace that surpassess all understanding. In times of trial, give me strength to whisper your name, for your name is a strong tower and bless me with endurance to run to you because that's where the righteous are safe.
Preserve my son's heart for you. Help him to follow our example of faith in you. Save him from the evil intent of man and deliver him from a wicked world full of sin.
Amen