Every Sunday, Seedbed will feature stories how of God is working through the people that make up the Church. Today’s post comes from David Baldwin, a student and Project Coordinator at Asbury Theological Seminary.
A life of a saint is surely like a song of praise lifted up to God. After 93 wonderfully full years of life, my grandmother recently passed away. At her memorial service, the minister described her life as being like a song with many verses that each spoke of the different aspects of her life. This was particularly appropriate for her since she was at one time a professional singer as well as an organist, pianist and choir director for several churches throughout her life. After hearing this eulogy, along with all of the memories shared by many of her family and friends, I found that I was barely aware of only one of the verses of her life. I knew so little of the incredible life story of someone I have known my whole life. Just as anyone else would be, I am saddened by the thought that she will no longer be present at family celebrations and holidays to come, but I feel an even greater sadness that I did not take every available opportunity to get to know all the verses of the life song of this wonderful saint.
This led me to be convicted in two ways. First, I realized that I am surrounded by so many people that are just as much a blessing to know as my dear grandmother, yet I make so little effort in investing the time to learn the verses of their life songs. I get so caught up in myself that I neglect the blessing of hearing the songs that God has placed in these people all around me. I am missing out on some potentially deep friendships that could develop after learning these life songs. Second, I feel that I have done so little in sharing with others the life song that God has given to me. Time after time, God has worked in my life and provided for me, sometimes in ways that I could not have predicted and sometimes in ways that I would not have chosen, but it is still a song which ought to be shared. These life songs we have need to be sung. I pray that my life will be a song of worship which reflects the image of God through good times and bad times, so that it would be a blessing to others, just as my grandmother’s song has been a blessing to so many.
The Psalms similarly reflect the image of God through the people of God. In studying them and singing them, we will sense the ways God has worked in people’s lives throughout history and learn how God is working through us today. Join me in reflecting on the Psalms during this coming season with Sing our Spring Reader.