Prayers for a son

What a night!  I sang with Michael Card in concert... well, he sang but invited the audience to sing his chorus.  Immanuel, our God is with us....

But what brought tears for me was his wonderful tribute to the man who changed the course of his life. Michael went to college to study forestry and "count birds".  But when he first heard Dr. William Lane teach on the Old Testament, he said, "I just wanted to be that man when I grew up."  And he changed his major to Biblical Studies and over the last thirty years has written over three hundred songs, many very familiar to those who follow Jesus and contemporary music. And all informed by his extensive biblical study.

So it was a professor- at a then small state college in Kentucky, who by his example and love for his students, changed the life of a forester into a song writer.  Dr. Lane preached at Michael Card's Christmas wedding  and his inspiring thoughts became the song lyrics we sang tonight.  A song many know and sing at the holidays, all these years later.

Immanuel

A sign shall be given a virgin will conceive

A human baby bearing undiminished deity

The glory of the nations a light for all to see

That hope for all who will embrace His warm reality

Immanuel our God is with us

And if God is with us who could stand against us

Our God is with us

Immanuel

For all those who live in the shadow of death

A glorious light has dawned

For all those who stumble in the darkness

Behold your light has come

Immanuel our God is with us

And if God is with us who could stand against us

Our God is with us

Immanuel

So what will be Your answer? Will You hear the call?

Of Him who did not spare His son but gave Him for us all

On earth there is no power there is no depth or height

That could ever separate us from the love of God in Christ

Immanuel our God is with us

And if God is with us who could stand against us

Our God is with us

Immanuel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoJHYgicA8M

So why the tears? 

Looking very... professorial, perhaps? 

Tomorrow my son will defend his doctor of philosophy dissertation, another step to his desired goal to be a college professor. He wants to speak into the lives of young people- those who think they have their lives planned out and to those who can't think beyond the lies their past would have them believe.  Scott wants to be a "Dr. William Lane" even though, most likely, he's never heard of him.  His heart is to teach students to think carefully and love deeply.  To be foresters who write music or musicians who remember when they wanted to count birds. To change lives. 

On social media, it seems to be acceptable to post adorable pictures of grandchildren or our babies. Somehow it feels unseemly to publicly celebrate the accomplishments of our adult children and I certainly appreciate that.  But Scott texted the family and we responded with,"We'll be praying!"

I am as proud as any parent of my children and the adults they are becoming, the spouses they have introduced to the circle and the knowledge that they will open their hands to whoever else God brings into our family. Especially the ones who come in tiny packages! And of course, now I will have to give the rest of the amazing kids their day in the sun. 

  

Scott's the tall one. The one who's about to be too cool for the rest of us.
How quickly those years flew by!

Today, I want to say to Scott, 

 Immanuel .....our God is with us- 

And if God is with us 

who could stand against us

Our God is with us

Immanuel !!!

God is with you. He is with you tomorrow as you defend your work. He is with you as you set out on the next stage of the journey. He is with you as you become, more and more, a man after his heart. 

And for the rest of us- pray for Scott tomorrow! 

God is with us- Immanuel!