Every fruited plain’s been travelled
Every spacious sky I flew
Every purple mountain’s leveled
All the majesty I knew
Still I hear Creation singing
Her song sails through the land
For She still knows her Maker
How She loves her Master’s hand
And She’s been singing for a lifetime
While I’ve been deaf as a stone
But today I’m dancing on the footstool
And singing to the Throne, and now I’m…
*Chorus*
Where I belong, joined in a song,
You’re truly amazing
I’m looking at You, I tell you the view
It’s truly amazing
“Truly Amazing” by The Waiting
Where to begin…
This last week was truly amazing. I went to Redmond. I stayed (in a resort) with some of the luminaries in the Java development community. I was wined and dined in a manner that was nearly embarrassing. In some ways, I felt guilty for the lavish treatment.
And that’s when you hear two voices. The first voice would have you exalt in the treatment and begin to believe that you deserve it. After all, you are a respected technologist with important things to contribute. You deserve this treatment because of your past investments and current knowledge. Then you hear that second voice, the still small one that pricks and prods. You hear His voice remind you that these gifts you received were wholly unmerited. Nothing you have done deserves to be repaid in this fashion. Indeed, you need to remember that you have harshly criticized the company that is courting your favor.
And you need to remember that this is history rhyming once again. As I had a few hours to ponder the wonders of the week, God took the time to hammer home the analogy. I won’t abuse the analogy or try and replay several hours of teaching that my spirit received. But suffice it to say that I found myself in Chicago reveling in the grace of God that was demonstrated to me this past week.
So I am in the airport considering these things and then “Truly Amazing” begins to play on my iPod Suffle. This song has ministered to me for many years. It speaks of God’s unmerited grace and our response to that grace. And for those who don’t know, the Shuffle is designed to be “random” in its song selection and placement. And without a screen, you can use the Shuffle to download a completely unplanned and unexpected playlist. Well that is what I had done on Monday night before I flew out to Seattle. I did not choose “Truly Amazing” to play on my iPod. I didn’t even know it was loaded. So when I heard the familiar guitar riffs, I started to weep. Man, my God is good!
And God did not want to leave anything else to chance. So while I’m jazzed about God’s grace and while I’m scribbling down notes, someone taps me on the shoulder. I turn around and find my cardiologist! This man placed the defibrillator in my chest. He is the man who is responsible for my “roo-ness.” And God reminded me that while this man might be responsible for ensuring that my heart doesn’t miss a beat, God is responsible for my doctor’s hands and his skill as well as my heart (and lungs, and blood, and brain …).
Wow! God is truly amazing!