Bethany Dillon - Hallelujah
Casting Crowns - Praise You In This Storm
Ginny Owens - If You Want Me To
Natalie Grant - Held
The theme is pretty clear this morning - praise God in ALL things, at ALL times. It seems a bit absurd and almost impossible when you just think about it briefly. So I decided to think about it deeper. Today I got an email about an extremely difficult personal situation we are involved in with one of our kids. It gave us insight and hope into a potential resolution. However, others of our kids will possibly be penalized by it. I'm faced with the decision to continue asking one of my kids to continue suffering, or possibly put the other two in a worse situation. I'm lost. I'm back to hopeless.
Then Meredith Andrew's 'Draw Me Nearer, Lord' comes on. I hear the words, "In your nearness there is healing, what was broken now made whole. Restoration in its fullness, lasting hope for all who come. In your nearness I take shelter, where you are is where I’m home. I have need of only one thing, to be here before your throne." In HIS presence, there is healing for ALL. Feeling a bit like a broken record, I go right back to the beginning: ALL things in love, ALL responses in love, PRAYER, and forgiveness. Suddenly, HE gives me the answer.
Will it be easy? Definitely not. Will we all face more hurt and pain? More than likely. But the cause of it is not US, it is not our FAULT. We will act in love, for what is best for our children. We will be ready with open arms when they are hurting and in pain. We will pray as a family for Christ to bind our wounds, to protect our hearts.
And most importantly, we will praise Him for He is good all the time! (All the time, He is good!) His love endures forever. Pain and trials are a part of this life. To blame ourselves for someone else's actions is as fruitless as saying God causes the pain that comes from the Evil One. HE is the light at the end of our tunnels ...
And right on cue as if to emphasize this point, Tenth Avenue North's "Times" is the next song playing:
"I hear You say, 'My love is over. It's underneath. It's inside. It's in between. The times you doubt Me, when you can't feel. The times that you question, 'Is this for real?' The times you're broken. The times that you mend. The times that you hate Me, and the times that you bend. Well, My love is over, it's underneath. It's inside, it's in between. These times you're healing, and when your heart breaks. The times that you feel like you're falling from grace. The times you're hurting. The times that you heal. The times you go hungry, and are tempted to steal. The times of confusion, in chaos and pain. I'm there in your sorrow, under the weight of your shame. I'm there through your heartache. I'm there in the storm. My love I will keep you, by My power alone. I don't care where you fall, where you have been. I'll never forsake you, My love never ends. It never ends.' "
This is immediately followed by Chris Tomlin singing 'How Great Is Our God', "Name above all Names, worthy of all praise. My heart will sing, how great is our God!"
And so today, I will speak in love. I will act in love. I will view all others in love. I will pray. And no matter what happens, I will PRAISE HIM, because, "You hold my very moment, You calm my raging seas. You walk with me through fire and heal all my disease. I trust in You, I trust in You.
I believe You're my healer, I believe You are all I need. I believe! And I believe You're my portion, I believe You're more than enough for me. Jesus You're all I need!" (Kari Jobe, Healer).
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