May the Years Between Us Fall Away as we Worship

We visited a local church other than our home church this Sunday.

It was their youth Sunday. So many of these young people have been campers and staff at the remote Bible camp where my husband (Scruffy) and I live and work. We wanted to support them on their big day. The youth led a variety of lovely Christmas carols but then finished with a duet by two young ladies.

As I listened, letting the music fill the room and pour over me, filling my eyes with tears, I noticed an elderly couple in front of us.

It was a modern song, not the type of melody one would expect to transition well between generations.

However, standing beside his wife, was an older gentleman. He had the look of a lifelong worker. Perhaps a truck driver, mechanic, or one of the many retired orchardists who fill our rural community. Simple clothes, shirt untucked, Gnarled hands raised to heaven as he listened to the clear voices of the girls worshiping on the stage.

He worshipped with them, letting the years between them fall away as the presence of our Savior filled the room.

I wept anew at the picture this painted.

Young and old, standing together, one before the God who loves.

In a different moment he might think those young women drive too fast, don’t wear dresses enough, and gracious did they park on his grass again!

On a different day these girls might sigh at his stories, wonder why everything takes so long, and get frustrated that he’s surprised they want to study science at college.

But not on that Sunday.

It was December, the darkest month of the year, set aside to remember the light, and they did.

They sang. They listened. They felt the joy of being God’s and being together as children of God.

Young and old, together, worshipping, strong.

May we be the same.

May the years between us fall away as we worship.