Cynthia, The King is Coming!

Trust Quartet was privileged to be at First Baptist Church of Alva, FL this past Sunday morning. It was an incredible time of worship with these dear friends. We'd not been to First Baptist Alva in about three years, and it was good to be reacquainted with them.

The pastor paid Trust Quartet a very high compliment as he introduced us yesterday. He talked of how we remembered people and asked about them before the service began. He said we remembered things about him from three years ago that he had forgotten. Let me share with you a special experience that will help you understand why some folks are just easy to remember.

The crowd was one of multiple races and ages. There were some who enjoyed southern gospel music and some who likely had never heard this style of music before. In fact, there were some there who may not have been accustomed to anything church-related. We were overjoyed with the pastor as he shared how many guests were attending. We are praying that those dear ones will return and worship with our friends there. 

And then there was Cynthia.

I remember Cynthia from our visit three years ago. She's a forty-something lady who has lived her life challenged with physical struggles. Her hands are gnarled, making it difficult to grasp anything. But don't tell her that! She held and played her tambourine while we sang just fine, thank you very much! She used a walker to help steady her as she moved around. She, with her mom and dad, took the quartet to a park and we ate pizza and salad together. She handled herself quite well with her pizza and tea, too!

As we ate, I asked Cynthia what she liked to do besides eat pizza and watch Gaither videos. Her response was quick and to the point. "Sing," she said with a big grin! I asked what her favorite song was. Without much hesitation, she looked at me and said, The King is Coming! Of course, that song is one of Bill and Gloria's songs from the days long before the Gaither Vocal Band.

A few minutes passed, and I began, 

"The marketplace is empty, no more traffic in the street                                                                             All the builder's tools are silent, no more time to harvest wheat                                                                     Busy housewives cease their labor, in the courtroom no debate                                                           Work on earth has been suspended as the King comes through the gate"

By now, Cynthia had joined me singing. Softly at first, but she began to get a little more confident as I kept singing with her.

"Happy faces line the hallway, those whose lives have been redeemed
Broken homes He has mended, those from prison He has freed
Little children and the aged hand in hand stand all a-glow
Who were crippled, broken, ruined, clad in garments white as snow"

Her smile was contagious by now and the whole quartet and her mom and dad were singing with us.

"I can hear the chariot's rumble, I can see the marching throng
And the flurry of God's trumpet spells the end of sin and wrong
Regal rolls are now unfolded, heaven's grandstands all in place
Heaven's choir is now assembled, start to sing "Amazing Grace"

By now, a worship service has begun at the park and we didn't really mind if anyone heard us.

"The King is coming, the King is coming
I just heard the trumpet sounding and soon His face I'll see
The King is coming, the King is coming...."

By this time, Cynthia is raising both hands high in the air with a sense of victory! She knows full well that Jesus is coming back and she is looking forward to seeing Him in all His glory. Singing at the top of her lungs, the last phrase has resonated with me all afternoon and evening, into the night. Perhaps you'll want to shout it out today with Cynthia ~~

"Praise God, He's coming for me!"