Sunrise and Music and Grace

At church last week, Pastor spoke about trials--those bad things that happen to good people, for reasons we cannot imagine. I hardly heard the sermon because the message I'd heard sung behind me a few minutes earlier was still echoing in my heart. A friend of mine was sitting behind me, a friend who a month ago experienced a tragic loss. One of the songs we sang before the sermon was "His Grace is Enough." I heard my friend singing and I turned to look at her and saw her arms raised and her gaze focused upward as she sang words that mean so much to her right now.

This week my prayer list is overflowing with friends' needs--heavy, frightening burdens. Again and again I think of His sufficient grace, and I pray that each of them will be conscious of that grace.

Today I rode my bike early, just as sunrise was fading over the mountains. I thought of the Light of the World, reaching out to us with multi-colored rays of hope and cheer. As I rode I tried to pray but my prayers kept being interrupted by music running through my head: "Great is the Lord," "Great and Mighty is the Lord our King," "Jesus, Draw me close," and "Be Thou My Vision." I realized the songs were prayers too, so I inserted little personal requests between the lyrics: "Lord, draw my friend close to you! Be her great and mighty King today!"

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