"God bless the broken road..."

"…Every long lost dream
led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart
they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way
into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you…"

I was sitting in the car this morning after driving the girls to school and I realized it was Thursday.  "Hmmm," I thought, "I don't remember waking up with a song playing through my head this morning, or if there had been one playing, I didn't take the time to hear it."  The phone started ringing before dawn and before long it was time to wake the girls for school.  "So," I thought, "since God is All-in-all, every song I hear must have a God-inspired message in it, just for me.  Even those songs with "questionable lyrics" are only there to remind me of what I need to be praying about in support of our community on any given day."  So I decided to stay in the car and wait for the time, weather, and traffic reports to conclude.  I would listen to the next song that came on and I would be ready to find a message in it, from God...to me. 

"8:47…partly cloudy with a high of 73 degrees by afternoon…breakdown in the far right lane of westbound 270 near St. Charles Rock Road…" then a few bars of station identification before Rascal Flatts' Broken Road came on with:

"…I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you…"

Now it would have been so easy to hear this as a love song…to think of my husband…or my daughters.  But I can honestly say that this morning I heard it differently.  I heard a message from my heart to Jesus Christ.  It was a love song to him, and a song of gratitude for his story of forgiveness, mercy, compassion, humility, and love.

It wasn't as much of a stretch as you may think.  I had been thinking of him all night and early this morning as I prayed.  I'd had the privilege of conducting our midweek church services last night.  This included putting together inspirational readings from the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.  I had known weeks ahead of time that I would need to select the citations, but every time I sat down to do it, something would come up and I would have to come back to it later.  Well, by 6:00 last night most of the selections had not been…well, selected.

At the last minute yesterday afternoon I had to fill in to pick up our daughters from school. By the time we arrived home and I made dinner, got them in showers and cleaned up, it was 6:00 and we had to leave for church at 7:00. 

I sat down at my desk and the thought came, "just tell them about me."  I knew right away that it was Jesus whose life and message I wanted to tell my church friends and visitors about.  I wanted them to know him the way I did.  I wanted them to understand what he had given me in those times when I felt most alone, blameworthy, or forsaken.  I wanted them to feel the depth of his mercy, see the results of his compassion, hear the joy of knowing his forgiveness, and experience the healing power of his love in their hearts…the way I had…so many times.  I longed for each person sitting in our warm circle of worship…with children stretched out on the floor and our church mascot "Goldie" in the middle of the rug…to feel the "aspiration, humility, gratitude, and love" which come from knowing his story, of taking it into one's life, of letting it comfort, guide, and yes, rebuke you. 

This was a message I would love to share.  The selections came so effortlessly.  I knew his story...better than my own.   We were in the car and on our way by 7:00.  Reading to our friends, our children...and Goldie...about his life's mission of humble service to humanity was a sacred hour for me.  I left feeling closer to him -- and his message -- than ever before.

So this morning God sent me a love song to sing to His son.  A song that redeems each long lost dream, every missed signpost, all the shattered hopes and broken hearts along the broken road that led me straight to him, his message of love…his example of humility.  Following Jesus' footsteps I will find my way, time and again, to the door of our Father's home.  His road leads to the kingdom of heaven, the consciousness of Love right here within my own heart. 

"Every long lost dream
led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart
they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way
into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

I think about the years I spent
just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost
and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there…you understand
That it's all part of a grander plan
that is coming true

Every long lost dream
led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart
they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way
into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you…"
-Hummon/Boyd/Hanna

Thank you God for this broken road that led me to your son, his example of humility and compassion…and yes, home to You,
Kate