I will forever be grateful to the older man who sat beside me with the tattered, worn Bible, who wholeheartedly praised Jesus and loved life.
He always carried his Bible, a steadfast companion tucked under his arm or open in his hands. It was tattered and worn from all its use.
I remember the day we first crossed paths—standing by his side, our voices lifted in praise to the Lord. His voice was a gift from heaven, and he would sing in harmony with mine.
In that instant, we forged a bond, united by our love for God’s Word and the hymns that flowed from our hearts, his love for music like mine, and our love of instruments.
Psalm 33 was one of his favorite chapters. I read it from the Message Bible to him, and he liked that version best.
Psalm 33
1-3 Good people, cheer God!
Right-living people sound best when praising.
Use guitars to reinforce your Hallelujahs!
Play his praise on a grand piano!
Compose your own new song to him;
give him a trumpet fanfare.
Another version
Psalm 33:1-3
Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous!
For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Praise the LORD with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
I want to take a moment to reflect on this passage of scripture. Our voice is the most powerful instrument we have.
Now, let’s talk about singing a new song to Him! When we sing a “new song,” we simply share an untouched moment of love. It’s an expression of our faith that reflects our testimony of the unique moments and blessings God has given us in a fresh new way.
Even a familiar hymn becomes fresh and new, rich with God’s word, and full of truth when it becomes personal.
Remember, there’s no corner of this earth where we can’t find the traces of God’s love in a song. All we need to do is open our ears and hearts to hear it. 🎶
I can still hear my dear old friend’s voice speaking and praising Jesus from his heart.
My dear friend spoke to Jesus so sincerely.
I would tear up as I listened to his words. He would say, “ Jesus, You are my closest companion and my dearest friend,” he declared, pouring out his heart, “My lungs expand with praise and thanksgiving; thank you, Lord, for blessing me with a long life; you’ve been my constant companion all these years!” The tears on his cheeks spoke volumes about his genuine love and devotion. It was a moment that touched my soul, and I couldn’t help but listen in. It felt like I was getting a glimpse into a sacred conversation, and his words resonated within me like a sweet melody, igniting a deep longing in my heart—a desire to know Jesus more intimately and to draw closer to the Lord just as he was doing.
Time has this incredible way of slipping through our fingers, like sand in an hourglass. Yet, in our life’s hustle and bustle, moments like these remain forever etched in our hearts. They stand out like beautiful snapshots, refusing to fade away. In those precious moments, I believe we catch a glimpse of eternity.
He was such an inspiration to me, yet with each passing year, he was becoming frailer. I would visit him at the nursing home, bringing my cassette player to share the songs I had been recording in the Studio. One song, “Glory Bound,” held a special place in his heart.
It was the very first song on that album, and it was his favorite. I would sing it, and despite his frailty, he would raise his arm in joyful unity, his voice mingling with mine,
The lyrics chorus says, “I’m glory bound, I got my reservation made, my name’s written down because I’m glory bound.” Each word flowed from his lips like a cherished prayer, and I could see his bent pointer finger waving up to heaven, a beautiful reminder that home is where your heart is.
I remember this one afternoon. I was so excited to share the scripture I had studied that I went to the nursing home to show it to him. Walking down the hallway toward his room, I could tell the nurses were not in their usual places, and as I reached his door, I knew why; my heart sank—his bed was empty, and the nurse was changing it as she shook her head and said to me that he had passed on, I knew he was “Glory-bound.”
I remembered a line in that song reminding me of how we take nothing with us.
“I don’t have a suitcase to pack; I’ll wear what’s on my back.” It struck me because he had no family but his worn beloved Bible. He had been sharing scripture with a nurse, passing on to her all his love of God’s word until the end.
I felt this deep ache in my heart, a longing to hear his voice again. I never got to say goodbye.
Here’s the scripture I went to share with him the day he passed. (John 21:20-23)
And this is what the Lord wanted me to understand from it.
In the Gospel of John, we come across a moment that really gets to the heart of our human nature. Picture this: Peter, filled with curiosity, turns to Jesus and asks, “But Lord, what about this man?” (John 21:21). The “man” he’s talking about is John, the beloved disciple, who had that special closeness with Jesus at the Last Supper. Like us, Peter quickly compared his path to someone else’s.
But here’s where it gets good—Jesus redirects Peter’s focus in His loving and gentle way. He says, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.” (John 21:22). It’s like Jesus is saying, “Peter, don’t worry about John’s journey. I have a unique purpose just for you.”
I absolutely love this perspective: “Paul might have been Christ’s pioneer, Peter might have been Christ’s shepherd, but John was Christ’s witness” (Barclay).
Each disciple had their own role in God’s beautiful plan, and guess what? So do we! We’ve each got our own unique calling, and that’s something to celebrate!
At that moment, as I read these words, they leaped from the page and into my heart. Jesus was not just speaking to Peter; He was talking to me. “You follow Me.” These are not just words; they are a powerful call to action, a reminder that our relationship with Jesus is personal and profound, just as my dearest friend displayed before me from that first day until his last.
I never got to say goodbye, but I will one day say hello, old friend.
Hello Old Friend by Eric Clapton