September 5th

Finding God in Knoxville

It was August 17th 2024, when I took my first venture into the exciting and bustling area of downtown Knoxville. As our group stepped off the van, the mission of the day was to find God in any and all corners of Knoxville. We decided to start our journey at the local farmers’ market. We walked through tents and vendors of all shapes and sizes. We were able to connect with people in passing and soaked in the busy, exhilarating setting of Knoxville. As I walked down streets, I passed shops, restaurants, museums, and theaters.

In the end, we decided to make our way back to the farmers’ market. On our way back a man approached me and said, “excuse me, Miss, can you tell me the time?” The man who had taken me by surprise was clearly homeless. His eyes were the color of a clear blue sky and his face caked with dust and grime. I told him the time, he thanked me and was on his way. I didn’t think much of it at the time.

We soon made our way back to the market, and as we stopped at a flower stand I heard a beautiful sound of singing. No accompanying music, no background singers. Nothing of any kind. It was simply someone singing. His voice carried through the crowd. As people passed, he continued to sing on the corner, not taking notice of the eyes that were on him. I realized this was the very same man who had stopped me to ask for the time. I realized he was on his way to sing.

This man had nothing but the clothes on his back and the volume of his voice. He walked back and forth singing “Firm Foundation” by Maverick City Music . He sang “I have joy in chaos, I’ve got peace that makes no sense.” It was a beautifully spiritual moment to see him sing in the midst of the chaos and glorifying God with nothing but his voice. I was deeply moved by this and felt the Lord in that moment say to me “Look! Look at my son who seeks me even when no one hears! I hear because he is mine.”