We’ve had lots of guests and visitors in recent weeks (not all shown here). Although having people round for a meal or to stay often involves some extra work, it honestly has been a time of blessing for us.  Whether catching up with friends that we haven’t seen for a short while or a very long time, or even getting to know people that we didn’t know well before, being a host is a privilege and if there was such a thing as a ‘grace ledger’ it would show that we received more than we gave in recent weeks.

In the midst of all of this, I had a serious-ish concern about my health (which is now OK) that I tried to not worry about.  On the day of my doctor’s appointment I read these lines in my morning prayer/mediation time:

…the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God.

(2 Corinthians 1)

Later, as I left the appointment, even more worried than I had been when I went in, I ran into someone who offered me such kindness you would have thought that she knew what I was going through.  She didn’t. And later that day, I encountered God’s kindness again through people that I met.  They were offering God’s consolation to me.

A few days later someone I knew was really struggling shared some of their pain with me.  I tried to remember to hold him in prayer. When I saw him a week later, he told me that a total stranger had given him a note that encouraged him and, not only that, but a particular Bible verse kept coming up in ways that suggested to him that God knew about him and cared.

The mystery of a God who consoles, who bothers to show us kindness in personal ways and who longs for us to share that with others has been with me these last few weeks, and not least in the blessings of our various guests.

One powerful memory I have is of a 13 year old guest playing our piano and singing the song So Will I.  I’d never heard it before but the strength of it has stayed with me.  (I wish you could hear her singing it, but here’s another version if you’re interested.)   If the creator of everything cares about each one of us, so will I.  If the God of the universe offers consolation through our friends and through strangers, so will I. If God offers love as both guest and host, so will I.

God of creation
There at the start
Before the beginning of time
With no point of reference
You spoke to the dark
And fleshed out the wonder of light

And as You speak
A hundred billion galaxies are born
In the vapor of Your breath the planets form
If the stars were made to worship so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You’ve made
Every burning star
A signal fire of grace
If creation sings Your praises so will I

God of Your promise
You don’t speak in vain
No syllable empty or void
For once You have spoken
All nature and science
Follow the sound of Your voice

And as You speak
A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath
Evolving in pursuit of what You said
If it all reveals Your nature so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You say
Every painted sky
A canvas of Your grace
If creation still obeys You so will I
So will I
So will I

If the stars were made to worship so will I
If the mountains bow in reverence so will I
If the oceans roar Your greatness so will I
For if everything exists to lift You high so will I
If the wind goes where You send it so will I
If the rocks cry out in silence so will I
If the sum of all our praises still falls shy
Then we’ll sing again a hundred billion times

God of salvation
You chased down my heart
Through all of my failure and pride
On a hill You created
The light of the world
Abandoned in darkness to die

And as You speak
A hundred billion failures disappear
Where You lost Your life so I could find it here
If You left the grave behind You so will I
I can see Your heart in everything You’ve done
Every part designed in a work of art called love
If You gladly chose surrender so will I
I can see Your heart
Eight billion different ways
Every precious one
A child You died to save
If You gave Your life to love them so will I

Like You would again a hundred billion times
But what measure could amount to Your desire
You’re the One who never leaves the one behind

Joel Houston / Benjamin Hastings / Michael Fatkin