Glorious

 
Glorious
One of my favorites and yet haunting bible verses was uttered in a prison cell. Paul and Silas have been beaten, dragged and flogged before being put in stocks in a dreary dungeon. Amazingly these two servants of God, at about midnight, began to pray and sing hymns. Have you ever felt like Paul and Silas? I have felt beaten and flogged by life but unfortunately, I don’t remember singing at midnight. The most significant word in this passage is at the end where it is mentioned that “the other prisoners were listening to them”. Does that not catch your attention? In all our lives someone is listening and watching our lives. Many of those who hear are prisoners themselves in some way. Prisoners of hurt pain and sin. Does the chorus of your life sing out victory or failure. Most of the time we don’t praise God or sing until there is a victory when we are rewarded in our job, or just the right home is found and purchased or when a health issue is resolved but in reality we should sing hymns in praise to the Lord on all occasions. Yes, even hard things.
 
Across the vast four acres of the gigantic flea market where we had spent the morning digging through every imaginable thing known to man, I came across the familiar shape of an old watering can. The wear on the handle indicated that indeed this little bronze can had watered many thirsty plants in its day. The sweet watering cans have taken my heart since my youngest daughter died from cancer a few months ago. While she suffered, one special song gave her comfort. The song was “Flowers” sang by Samantha Ebert. And like my daughter this talented singer/songwriter suffered from illness and pain. Bedridden she prayed, “Why Lord, are you keeping me here?” Courageous to the end, my Mendy Jill trusted in her God. While the Master Gardener watered, Mendy scattered seeds to everyone she met. Seeds of trust, seeds of adoration for her Lord and the seeds of salvation. While in her valley she stood tall for her Lord telling everyone about the God of the Bible, but with her spirit she told of the Lord of her heart. Our sweet Mendy, like the song says, might have said also, “Lord, why are you keeping me here? To that I’m sure he said, child I’m planting seeds and I’m holding a watering can.” Someday you’ll see flowers grow in the valley. When asked what heaven was like, she gathered enough strength to raise her frail voice to say to me, “Glorious, just glorious, Mom.” Lost souls like the prisoners in the jail cell next to Paul and Silas heard singing and praising. The prisoners marveled at the God of hope these poor strangers sang about at the top of their voice. Mendy was unaware of those seeds of courage and love she planted in that valley.  All the while God’s watering can poured heavenly water on the waiting seeds. “Mendy! What is heaven like?” Glorious, just Glorious!
I will always remember the joy in her eyes when we packed up and moved here to be close to her. She squeezed my hand and said, Mama, we’ll never have to say goodbye again. On this earth, my sweet Mendy, we said goodbye one last time but never, never again. How will that be my sweetheart? Glorious, just Glorious!