I Saw Amazing Grace

Two weeks ago our church went to the nursing home to minister to the residents and (hopefully) the staff.

I was slated to bring the main message after we had “warmed up” the crowd with several group songs from the hymnals, and a great song by a young, talented church family.

As I sat at a table singing along and going over my sermon notes, I looked at the order of service and noticed who was last to sing before I went to preach.

Keith…one of my heroes.

He’s a teacher by trade with years spent in Detroit’s roughest public schools, trying to teach Detroit’s roughest ruffians.

Keith has a phenomenal voice and talent on the guitar, and it’s always special when he plays a special song for the group. But that day I witnessed greatness…God’s greatness.

You see, three weeks ago there was a great tragedy in our church. A massive building fire had erupted near the church and set off hundreds of illegally stored gas canisters. Massive explosions had rocked the area for over an hour, sending shrapnel and debris flying up to a mile away.

A quarter mile away on a street corner, Keith’s wife and son had met up with other family members and friends to watch the blaze. They had no idea the shrapnel was about to fly, but when it did they ran for cover. Tragically, Keith’s beautiful, 19-year old son didn’t make it.

On a Tuesday he passed on to glory.

On a Friday his body was laid to rest.

The following Sunday his father showed up at the nursing home with his guitar. I watched as he strode to the front of the room and sat down, adjusting the microphone and gathering his music. His face was full of grace. Only those who knew him understood what he and his family had just been through. Tremendous loss.

He paused slightly and said something I’ll never forget: “Let’s sing a song about heaven.” And then he sang a song that blew us all away and left me in tears.

I saw God’s amazing grace on that Dad as he sang, no doubt picturing his boy in heavenly splendor. I can’t explain my gratitude to God for such human examples of faithfulness and Godliness, but if you have someone like that in your life, then you already understand.

When life gets hard, sing a song about heaven, my friends. It often turns our frowns upside down, or at least gives us a right perspective for our trials.

In Memory of Turner.