Almost More Than I Can Bear

    A famous black female singer, Sarah Vaughn, had the opportunity to sing for one of our presidents. Many notables were there, and the setting was nothing short of glorious.

      After dinner the lady “waxed eloquent,” and everyone was duly impressed with her voice. I can only imagine the emotions she experienced that night.

    After the performance, Ms. Vaughn retreated to a sitting room, and someone found her weeping there. Of course, that person was anxious for her, and asked if they could assist her somehow. Her response was surprising.

    “Twenty years ago I couldn’t even get a hotel room in this city. Tonight I sang for the president, and afterwards, he asked me to dance with him. It is almost more than I can bear.”

     I think this illustration is an apt reflection of an entirely different scenario; that of the law and grace. For the Old Testament provided us a brief, but elusive glimpse of God. Someone who might have easily been considered austere and vindictive, and Someone, with whom, we might never have had a personal relationship.

     But suddenly in the New Testament the entire environment changes. A loving, and concerned Creator is made known in the person of His Son, Jesus. A relationship that might hardly be imagined, in days gone by, is now not only revealed, but encouraged.

     Grace is the order of the day. A new dispensation has been ushered in.

And we are called to “dance with God,”…

and if I reflect too long on it, it is almost more than I can bear.

 

By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "Unconventional Devotions" Copyright 2005