Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you,
with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another
with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16)
Yesterday, we had the opportunity to hold a devotional with some residents of The Terrace Rest Home.
The place is home to elderly people offering care, comfort and companionship.
I asked Jewel and Errol to come with me.
We started the meeting with the singing of two stanzas of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”.
Then after I gave the invocation, Jewel sang “His Strength is Perfect”
Errol read Psalm 27, the scriptural basis of my devotional message.
I gave a very short reflection, maybe five sentences because prior to speaking the Holy Spirit prompted me to dwell more on singing hymns and spiritual songs.
I asked for prayer requests and prayed for them.
Then, I called on Jewel to sing the second song she prepared for the moment, “O Holy Night”.
I told them that this will be our closing song and I thanked them for listening and spending time with us.
As Jewel sang “O Holy Night”, the audience became animated and I could see several lips singing with her.
They clapped in appreciation of Jewel’s singing. Just when we thought we’re done, one of the staff members came to us and requested Jewel to sing another song.
Smiling, the lady said, “I’m sure she has one more song to sing”.
Running through our memory as to what song to sing, Errol suggested “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”.
Again, perhaps being familiar with the hymn, some sang with Jewel.
Thus, we ended the devotional with that hymn.
What peace and joy seeing the residents and staff very happy and thankful for what we have shared them.
The atmosphere yesterday reminded me of the lines of the popular chorus, “The Time To Be Happy“, which says:
And the way to be happy is to make others happy
And to have a little heaven down here
Yes, I saw a glimpse of heaven yesterday because we taught and admonished with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.
THANK YOU!
… Errol for your presence and reading Psalm 27.
… my dear wife, Jewel for sharing your talent and ministering to the elderly through singing.
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