God's Light in the Innocent Eyes of Hope

God's transcendent grace and benevolent hope never ceases to amaze me. Just when everything looks bleakest, God suddenly moves and works at the most unexpected times, and often in the most expected places. This morning I experienced one of those incredible moments and divine encounters.

Today I had the privilege of leading the weekly chapel service at my children's school. It was an awesome experience! St. Andrew's is a wonderful Episcopal Church school located in Richmond, Virginia. The schools original and primary mission is to elementary age children of low income families. St. Andrew's is rich in diversity, and a place in which God's love is truly at work.

Because I had to work late last night, I was tired and didn't feel as prepared as I would have liked this morning. I walked into chapel all worried and stressed out about 'my' message to the children; worried about what 'I' was going to say to them; hoping 'I' would be able to preach a few profound words of faith. As usual my hope was to assist the children in their faith development by planting a few good seeds. Well, what ended up happening was - they assisted me in my faith. Where as I though I was the one with the message to deliver, it turned out to be the other way around. It was the children who had the actual message for me.

While leading the service, I looked into the bright and radiant eyes of innocence, and suddenly witnessed God's profound revelation of hope to this broken world. These young children whose ages range from 5 years old to 10 years old are our future. Their beautiful voices lifted up in song and praise to God, while at the same time the piano rang out with its wonderful melody. It was in this instance that a peaceful sense of clarity overcame my spirit. While we adults continue to struggle with the poor economy and worry over the pressures of life, I was reminded by these little children that love and joy are an innate and important part of our lives. When we approach Jesus as a child, God draws out that beautiful and untainted innocence that exists within each one of us. As his children, no matter what this world thows at us, in Jesus we are made innocent and pure, untouched by the shadows of decay.

Nevertheless, as I sit here at my computer I still have all of the same worries and concerns that I awoke with this morning; I still let out a few bad words that I shouldn't say; and I still sigh and fret over things that I really don't want to do. But despite my broken human nature I have a child like hope and joy for life that no darkness can dispel.

Perhaps today we can all approach Jesus in prayer as a child, opening our hearts and minds up to his presence, experiencing that inner peace and joyful innocence. As for me, well in this very moment, I'm going to do exactly what the song we sang this morning suggested we do - With this Little Light of Mine, I'm going to let it shine; let it shine; let it shine; let it shine!