Orange Moon Addendum

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…

(Friends, I can count on one hand the times we have sent out more than one message in a day in the last 25 years.  However, today, after sending the devotional, Frances made a wonderful point about how God works so mightily in and through one we know who faces profound and daily challenges.  This reminded me of a message about this dear young lady from 2022.  We send this as an addendum to the earlier message).

"The Promise"

 Sally Can Sing!

     "It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).

   Sally cannot speak.  She cannot walk.  She can do few things most human beings take for granted, having been confined to a a bed and a wheelchair for a lifetime.  She can, however, do two things that greatly blessed us in a service we conducted yesterday.  Sally can smile.  And Sally can sing.

     "My strength is made perfect in weakness" (II Corinthians 12:9).

    Occasionally, a young person will come to live at one of the nursing facilities where we conduct services.  The challenges faced by such ones are almost always extremely difficult and even painful.  This is the case with Sally.  I suspect she has never walked, spoken, or done anything we might classify as normal.  Frances and I, however, can attest to Sally's ability to smile, to sing, and to be a blessing beyond all description.  Regarding her smile, Frances makes a beautiful point.  "Have you ever been more blessed by a smile than by Sally's?"  No, I have not.

    During our hymn time yesterday, we began to hear sounds that initially did not seem like melody or harmony.  We quickly realized the notes came from Sally's voice, and even more, from her heart.  She smiled and she made sounds.  How her voice sounded musically did not matter at all as a sublime beauty deeply touched our hearts.  It made me wonder, what must Sally's voice sound like to God?  Surely we cannot fathom how our Lord must feel when one of His broken instruments raises its voice to praise Him with sounds that may not seem musical, but which He doubtless hears in ways too holy and too Heavenly to imagine.  "Let Me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice" (Song of Solomon 2:14).

   I know you will pray for Sally, that the Lord will meet her deep in the spirit of her heart.  I am sure He already does.  Let us ask that He will richly magnify the love and communion He bestows there as He works in her to will and to do of His good pleasure.  I look forward to singing again with Sally in services to come, and far more, in the Heavenly eternity when once again, we will hear notes as we begin to sing.  "That's Sally" we will think.  Doubtless, the strains of her glorified voice will be sublimely beautiful as it sounds in perfection and in the direct presence of her Lord.  However, I do not know if they will be more beautiful than what we now hear, or what God hears.  Because Sally can sing.

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord."

(Psalm 100:1)

Weekly Memory Verse

    For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

(Hebrews 4:15)

   

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