I made this Flash Music Player at MyFlashFetish.com.
Last Sunday our church started a two part series on one of my favorite songs, Blessed Be Your Name. I love everything about the song –– the tune, the lyrics, the beat. But until last Sunday it was just a song. Now I look at it as a wake up call.
Some people are great friends with God –– when things are going good. It is easy to praise God when life is "A-okay". And there are others who walk a path where when things are good then God tends to get put on the backburner, but the minute things start going "south" they are right there on their knees begging God for help. Or maybe you are that person that like the song says, can bless God no matter what the circumstances. So which group do you belong to?
I used to have a pretty good relationship with God. I enjoyed going to church. I read my bible. Matt and I did devotions. I prayed. But 5 years ago that all changed. Five years ago God took away one of my most precious gifts –– my daughter. Sure we still go to church. And we pray with the kids. But honestly I do those things because I have to. I am not even sure where my bible is anymore, and the devotional books remain shut. I sit through services talking about how "God is good" thinking sarcastic thoughts. I find it hard to praise God when my heart is so hard towards Him.
But Sunday's sermon gave me a wake up call. God only wants from us what we want from everyone else ––trust. Matt Redman, the writer of Blessed Be Your Name, says "Trust is a beautiful act of worship. It says to God, 'I believe in You—in Your unfailing goodness and greatness—no matter what season of life I find myself in.'"
I'm tired of being angry with God. I don't understand why people go through the things they do. Why children die. Why people are abused. Why people suffer with sickness. Why people go through struggles and hard times. Why my daughter had to die. But know what? We will never understand, at least not in this lifetime. But no matter what, even though it may not seem like it, God is there and God is good.
Matt Redman and his wife Beth are no strangers from pain. This song stems from their life experiences. They both experienced extremely painful childhoods, losses and three miscarriages. This song was actually written in the days following 9/11. Through their life experiences, the Redman's believe come pain and suffering, and in times of joy, worshiping God is what we are supposed to do.
I encourage those who may be struggling with life and with God, to listen to the sermon from our Sunday service. You can find it here. I don't know all the answers, and I don't know how to go from where I am today to where I need to be, but I do know I cannot get through this, or anything else, without Him.
