Many years ago, when I was a schoolteacher, I met a former pupil on my way home from school, and during the course of our conversation, she asked if I would mind writing a reference for her, for a job she was applying for. She seemed hopeful and excited about her prospects. I was delighted to, as it was such an easy reference to write; she had been one of the sweetest, gentlest, and most thoughtful pupils that I’d ever taught.
However, I found out early one morning, that following week, that she had been killed by a reckless driver. What a waste of a beautiful life, so full of potential. The world’s loss, was heaven’s gain!
I was so saddened by this news, and seeing that I had a free period after our school’s morning assembly, I lingered at the piano I’d been playing, and just sat quietly allowing my fingers to pick out whatever tunes came to mind. shedding tears as I played.
A new melody came to me as I was praying for Pauline and her family, and a clear image of God entered my thoughts. He was holding close to his heart, a precious child, a baby. I knew then that Pauline was safe in His arms. The song became a lullaby, and it gave me such peace of mind, and peace in my soul.
I realised recently I hadn’t yet made a video of this song, so I did, with the help of photographs from the free resource, ‘Unsplash’ and also some family photos.
‘Go to sleep, my little one, rest well in God’s arms,
for you are a child of His, rest in love.
Go to sleep my little one, now that night has come,
morning time will soon be here, rest in peace.
Go to sleep bright shining light, you’ll forever shine.
You will always be my child, God’s and mine.’
Later I found that this song fitted beautifully into nativity plays, where it was sung by ‘Mary’, for her son, as she contemplated the challenges and trials he would have to endure in life, and as she sang it, she held her baby close to her heart.
I’ve now added this video to my Christmas Story collection on Youtube:
I was also thrilled much later, to discover that my daughter sang this to her son each night, and if she ever forgot to sing it, he would remind her, for it brought him peace.
In the turmoil and troubles of our world, peace doesn’t come easily, but if we offer our lives to God each day, asking him to use us for His purposes; we’ll certainly find some measure of peace, knowing we do His will.
Here is a meditation I’ve treasured over the years. It’s meant a great deal to me. It was written by Fiona Castle, wife of the musician and entertainer, Roy Castle, and it sums up the peace we can know in our lives, when we surrender ourselves to God, and rest in him:
“Begin at once; before you venture away from this quiet moment, ask your King to take you wholly into His service, and place all the hours of this day quite simply at his disposal, and ask Him to make and keep you ready to do just exactly as He appoints.
Never mind about tomorrow; one day at a time is enough.
Try it today, and see if it is not a day of strange, almost curious peace, so sweet that you will be only too thankful when tomorrow comes, to ask Him to take it also- till it will become a blessed habit to hold yourself simply and ‘wholly at His command, for any manner of service.
The ‘whatsoever’ is not necessarily active work.
It may be waiting, (whether half an hour or half a lifetime) learning, suffering, sitting still.
But shall we be less ready for these, if any of them are His appointments for today?
Let us ask Him to prepare us, for all that He is preparing for us.”
Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay
Next Facebook Live!
Join Christine Sine and Lilly Lewin for a discussion on Pilgrimage. Wednesday, September 21st at 9 am PT. Happening live in the Godspace Light Community Group on Facebook – but if you can’t catch the live discussion, you can catch up later on YouTube!