My Redeemer

I had a hard weekend. The specific reasons are, for the purposes of
this post and of posterity, irrelevant. But the result was that I was
left feeling not a little down.

This morning started out better. Aaron's fuss-o-meter has been on 11
out of 10 all week, but this morning he was "only" at 7. Jada was
ready to go by the time I had to head out, so instead of being
stressed about running late, everything was smooth and easy. Aaron
stays home on Mondays, so it was just me and Jada into the early
morning day.

We walked westward, and soon had an unfettered view of the
Philadelphia skyline, the sun beginning to make its appearance. I
could not help but think of how, within a few minutes, the sun would
overwhelm - in size and brilliance - even the mightiest and grandest
of our city's skyscrapers.

For some reason, I begin to sing, first to myself and then out loud.
The first song that came to mind - it had been so long since I had
last heard it that I had to think for a moment to remember the chorus
- was Steve Curtis Chapman's "My Redeemer is Faithful":

"As I look back on the road I've traveled, I see so many times He
carried me through; and if there's one thing that I've learned in my
life, my Redeemer is faithful and true. My Redeemer is faithful and
true, and everything He has said He will do; and every morning His
mercies are new. My Redeemer is faithful and true; Jesus is faithful
and true."

They say it is darkest right before the sun appears. I don't know
that that's true. But I do know that while the night can seem to last
forever, eventually the sun does appear; and when it does, its size
and brilliance overwhelm everything. Though the outward circumstances
that cause my hope to sag may be no different today than this weekend,
I am somewhat buoyed inwardly. For I know that my Redeemer is
faithful and true.