The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"The Most Beautiful Performance"
The Season abounds with concerts, cantatas, symphonies, and musical dramatizations, all graced with the carols that beautifully herald remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ and His entrance into the world.
"Sing unto the LORD, bless His name; show forth His salvation from day to day" (Psalm 96:2).
The Season also abounds with individual voices singing the carols, some that do so from difficult conditions and circumstances. Several weeks ago, I suggested to a friend that if angels, who "desire to look into" the glories of our salvation, could witness only one Christmas performance this season, I wonder if they might attend the performance of some battered, broken saint lying on a sickbed, barely able to sound a note, but who nevertheless opened their heart and mouth to sing a strain of "Silent Night?" (I Peter 1:12). Might angels weep, I pondered, at the wonder of such grace sounding forth from a heart singing as beautifully as the most gifted and skilled voice?
Little did I suspect that Frances and I would witness this happen. In a service at a retirement community yesterday, a dear lady attended who appeared to be asleep in her reclining chair. She did not move, and seemed completely unaware of where she was. That is, until we began to sing "Silent Night." Without opening her eyes, her lips began to move in barely audible tones and words as her heart sang, "Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright…"
I have little doubt that angels attended this most beautiful performance of the Christmas season. I suspect they also wept as one of God's saints, unable to move or speak, somehow found a way to sing about her Lord and to her Lord. The only challenge of the moment involved the difficulty I found in playing and singing as we witnessed the blessed scene. Indeed, my own tears accompanied those of the angels.
When I shared my proposal with my friend, I did not know it presaged the gift we would behold of God's grace so sublimely portrayed by one of His hurting children. After we finished singing "Silent Night," I went over to our sister, kneeled down, and told her how beautifully she sang, and how much she had blessed our hearts. She attempted to speak, but could not do so. However, she smiled the most beautiful smile, and I know she heard me. I am so glad, and I am so grateful we were blessed to join angels in attending the most beautiful performance of the Christmas season.
"Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds."
(Psalm 149:5)
"My strength is made perfect in weakness."
(II Corinthians 12:9)
Weekly Memory Verse
For with God nothing shall be impossible.
(Luke 1:37)
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