[Original writing: January 13, 2010]
One night while working, a customer and I began speaking with one another as I offered assistance. She asked if her daughter sang part of a song, if I would be able to identify it. She stated it was a song they play on the K-LOVE radio station. This is really not an uncommon request, so I told her I was willing to try. She called across several aisles to her daughter to come sing the song she was trying to locate. After a little bickering between mother and daughter, the daughter finally rounds the end of the aisle. I was caught off guard by what I saw. The young woman, who I would guess in her mid-twenties, was physically disabled. It took a lot of effort for her to walk or even move her arms in ways that we take for granted. It was also soon apparent that she was mentally underdeveloped as well.
Put on the spot as she was, she could not recall any of the lyrics. She apologized over and over, and I assured her that it was okay. After some time, she and her mother left the store while I was continuing my duties. After only a few minutes, they came back into the store. I happened to be near the entrance when they returned. The mother told me the young woman remembered the song as soon as they got to their car. Prompted by her mother, the young woman began singing the song for me.
It was Aaron Shust's "To God Alone". She was off-key, but her words were clear. She stood there in front of the registers, in front of me, in front of the other employees, in front of other customers, and sang loudly and unashamedly. "To God alone be the glory! To God alone be the glory!"
I led her and her mother to the music department, picked up the CD, and asked if she wanted to hear the song to be certain it was the one she was thinking of. She said yes. As she struggled to put the headphones over her ears, I began playing the song at one of the store's listening stations. As soon as the song started playing, the young woman absolutely lit up and began loudly singing along. "To God alone be the glory! To God alone be the glory!"
I cannot find the words anywhere in my vocabulary to adequately describe the excitement and joy that emanated from her. It was so intense that it was almost tangible. Never in my life have I ever witnessed that level of joy from anyone about anything.
My heart stirs even now as I recall this event. May God help me to have a such heart for Him as that young woman has! May He help me keep from pride of the blessing of good health and the blessing of a good mind. May He keep from me all concern of what others think from getting in my way of praising Him as unashamedly as that beautiful, young lady.
To God alone be the glory! To God alone be the glory!
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