Job 33:14 For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it.
We recently drove to Nashville to visit our son and his family. Josiah works in music business, and one of the bands he helps manage was performing at the Ryman Auditorium. Since he had to work the concert, he invited us to go along and watch the show. We readily agreed, even though the genre wasn’t something you would find on our playlist. I figured I wouldn’t recognize any of the songs. But, hey, it was Nashville; it was the Ryman; it was opportunity to be with our son.
About halfway through the concert, the lead singer introduced a song which he had recorded years before with Lee Ann Womack, “I Hope You Dance.” Not only did I recognize the song, it just happened to be the one Josiah and I danced to for the mother/son dance at his wedding seven years ago! Suddenly, a whole boatload of sweet memories flooded my heart. So unexpected. So poignant.
Theologian Frederick Buechner writes about how we should pay attention to those unexpected moments in life. He says if we keep our hearts and minds open and listen, God may be speaking to us through them. And when God speaks through “events, books, movies” we discover something “precious beyond telling.”
Lord, are you speaking to me through this?
The song expresses a mother’s desire to see her children embrace life. That they “never lose their sense of wonder,” they always “give faith a fighting chance.” And when they have the choice “to sit it out or dance” she hopes they dance.
I believe the Lord was speaking those words to me. He was telling me not to let the worries of the world keep me glued to my seat. To not give up. To fight the sense of hopelessness and stagnancy with faith. No matter what I’m facing today, I hear him say, “I hope you dance.”
When Job accused God of not answering him, Elihu rebuked him. Elihu told him God speaks to us in different ways, we just don’t perceive it. He might speak through dreams, through suffering, through other people.
Even through a timely country western song.
So let’s open ourselves to hearing God speak in unexpected ways. And so discover what is “precious beyond telling.”