Tender Mercies

Today, I had the chance to be a piece in the bringing to pass of a tender mercy for someone, and it felt really good.

I had arranged to have the Roosevelt Mariachi Band come to play at Nazareth House today. All the residents were excited and the auditorium was full to capacity. The band was excellent, and very patient with our more forgetful residents who kept asking what school they were from. They had such a great attitude!

One of the residents who attended has not been doing well.  She really made every effort to be there, but was running late. I asked the band director if she could be sure to play one or two songs once she arrived, and she agreed.

Joy and peace filled my heart as I watched this lady with her family, singing, swaying and enjoying the music for what would likely be her last live musical performance. Near the end of the performance, I had one of THOSE moments. It's like the space between one breath and the next has been lengthened, and you have a moment of perfect clarity. I literally felt the love of the Lord for this daughter of his. I knew that this small temporal joy was a gift, a tender mercy, to her and to her family, not because of me but through me and all who worked to make this happen for them.

And that moment was MY tender mercy, because I had been feeling kind of useless to the Lord, feeling like I had nothing to offer him. Yet he used that moment to remind me that he delights in using imperfect people to bring to pass his plans. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that little tears of joy leaked out.

It's all so good. The Lord is good!