The very first thing that popped into my head when I read these verses from Psalm 126 was the refrain of a song, "He has done marvelous things. I too will praise him with a new song." But I couldn't come up with the first line or title of it. I was preparing to write this Advent Devotional and it was time for me to have my monthly 1-on-1 meeting with Erin, our Director of Youth & Family Ministries. As she came in the door of my office, I immediately asked her to help me. I started singing this refrain and asked her if it was a song that our Praise Team used. She didn't think so, instead suggesting that it was from a hymn that she remembered she had sung at camp. As the two of us were going over and over this refrain, almost simultaneously, we said together, "Earth and All Stars!"
It was a marvelous thing when we sang "Earth and All Stars" one weekend at the Far Hills Campus. At all the traditional worship services, we enjoyed singing favorite hymns that had been submitted ahead of time by the congregation for the prelude, the offertory, the postlude, and every place else in the service where we typically sing a hymn. It was inspiring to hear our voices raised in song, rejoicing in the marvelous things our God has done for us. That weekend was received so well that it may become an annual event. Thanks, John Benjamin, for the great idea.
It was also a marvelous thing when the Young at Heart Team focused on two ministries of Epiphany at their fall Flag Room Chat, one of them being the Storybook Project, our "ministry highlight" for this week of Advent. Two of the special speakers, Laurie Franz and Jim Evans, talked about the Storybook Project. Even though I've been around Epiphany longer than dirt, I learned so much more about this vitally important ministry. It was inspiring to hear about the impact of prisoners reading and recording books which are then sent to their children and families. When I retire, that will definitely be one of the ministries where I will want to volunteer.
Ultimately though, it was the most marvelous thing that God did in loving us so very much that He gave himself for us in the precious gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. As we anticipate that blessed birth, may we scarcely be able to contain ourselves with joy and "praise him with a new song."
