Praising God no matter what

Yesterday I heard a prominent CNN reporter sum up an event in a flooded city in Texas, another story of disaster because of Hurricane Harvey. Then he said, “This is one more item to put on your prayer list.”

The media usually does not say things like that, but as the news came through about this storm, it soon became overwhelming to everyone. I felt drawn to watch what was happening, but the enormity of it created great stress in my heart. I wanted to turn it off. A friend and I agreed that the media needed to start reporting some of the good news. Otherwise, they would soon lose all their viewers.

Within a day or two, some of them seemed to have realized this. They began to show dramatic rescues and the gratitude expressed by those who were brought to safety. Many of them were thanking God and some were openly praising Him. Others may have expressed opposite thoughts, but the media continues to focus on those who have been able to glorify the Lord even in their dire situations.

Today’s devotional directs me to one verse in the following paragraph, picking up the idea that those who love the Lord should magnify His name:

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me! Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt! Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, “Aha, Aha!” But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!” As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God! (Psalm 40:13–17)

David wrote this psalm. He begins by telling how he waited patiently for the Lord who heard his cry and rescued him from destruction “out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure” (Psalm 40:1-2). While David was not in a literal flood, these words describe the praise of those pulled from the muddy waters in Houston. People stranded on rooftops, in cars, in their mud and silt-filled homes are being pulled out and taken to a safe place.

Earlier this year, God blessed me with verse 3, and as I read it again, the events in Texas and the words of those rescued who are praising God give this verse an even greater impact:

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. (Psalm 40:3)

While I already trust God for salvation, I more deeply understand the power of praising God after seeing these flood survivors for whom God has put a new song of praise in their mouths. This is not easy.

In our lives, much is happening and my prayer list is long. One brother is in pain and not had more than two or three hours sleep at a stretch for two months. His daughter-in-law awaits surgery for cancer. My sister cannot remember ordinary words and says talking to her is “like being on a quiz show.” My other brother is entrenched in a cult. Our daughter waits for serious surgery. Her daughter returned from Africa with Malaria and another virus that might take a year for recovery. My hubby is still recovering from a nasty surgery to his face. My left eye is still blurry, nearly three months after cataract surgery.

I could go on with more from my prayer list, yet God encourages me again to praise the Lord. No matter what is going on, this is possible. The Christians in Texas can magnify the Lord after losing all that they have. I can see and fear too, and put my trust in the Lord and praise Him.

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Oh Jesus, my list includes a great deal of stressful items and concerns involving trauma, but it also has items of praise and thanksgiving. Many of the people involved know and love You. If the outcome for them is the end of their lives here, it means they will live on forever with You. That is a greater glory. As for the other people and situations, I know You are sovereign and powerful. I also know You are merciful and gracious with great wisdom. The course of events in this world is not taking You by surprise nor is it beyond Your ability to use or change for Your purposes. In all of it, I also desire to magnify Your name. You are good and Your love endures forever. Amen.

God reveals — How do I respond?

Yesterday I put a picture of outer space on my Internet browser. It reminds me of the verses that say, “The heavens declare the glory of God.” Wow! If the universe is like this, what is God like?

My next thought is a question: Why does this awesome God care about me? I’m a mere speck in His vast creation. Yet He does care and when He reached out His hand to me, I grabbed hold of it, trusting Him to take care of my needs and guide me in the best way.

God takes the initiative, knowing what I will do because He enables me to do it. What if I looked at that photo and only saw the colors and shapes, didn’t think of God at all — just used it to design a quilt? What if I went outside and looked at creation, only to dig out a microscope or telescope and a notebook, trying to figure out where it came from? What if I did consider God exists, but relegated Him to ‘out there’ somewhere, no hand reaching out, not a person who cares about me, not someone I can trust?

And I did those things. I look back now and see how God persisted. He used the sun and stars to set my mind in motion regarding His existence. He used the mistakes I made to bring me to a sense of need for guidance. He used Jesus to show me that He reached out, and He answered prayer to show He cares about me and every detail of my life.

God’s love is always there. It never ceased when I was indifferent or when I said NO. It never increased when I responded nor does it decrease when I ignore Him. He selected me to believe and worked on me until I was ready for the gift of new life and faith. Salvation is God’s doing in those who gladly take His hand and in those who reluctantly admit we need Him. For that, I am truly thankful.

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.” (Psalm 92:1–4)

I’m thankful too for my brothers and sisters in Christ. God persisted with them too, bringing them into His family so that we could experience the fullness of His glory together. Some kick and pull back, but He hangs on to us because His love never fails.

“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” (2 Thessalonians 2:13–15)

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Dear Lord Jesus Christ, for some reason beyond my comprehension, You choose to show mercy and forgive when it seems the more deserving response to my resistance is for You to walk away. You desire that Your people see Your glory, both in creation and in the more explicit and profound revelation of You becoming a man and walking among us, even holding my hand and walking with me.

Let me be singing when the sun goes down

Paul wrote a letter to the church in Philippi while he was in jail. In that letter, he says many things about the goodness of God. His attitude is summed up in these words . . .  

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4–7)

I’ve not researched ancient Middle Eastern prisons, yet I’m certain they were not plush places with warm, comfortable beds and a television set for every prisoner. In some parts of that world even today, if family does not bring food, the prisoners go hungry. In Paul’s case, not only was he locked up, but he was locked up unjustly. Yet this disciple of Jesus Christ praised God and was full of joy.

A few decades before Paul, a young girl was visited by an angel and told she would become pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Unlike today, she faced shame. She would be accused of fornication and shunned by her family and peers. The Law said she should die for her supposed immorality and her fiancé considered sending her away. She was in a prison of a different kind, yet like Paul, she praised God with great joy . . . 

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior . . . ” (Luke 1:46–47)

How is it that these and countless others since them have joyfully suffered, even joyfully faced a martyr’s death? Isn’t it because they have discovered how to rejoice in Jesus Christ as their beloved Savior? The Bible even says that the joy of the Lord is our strength. With joy and praise, we can face anything.

Charles Spurgeon says that anyone who cannot praise God must fear for their destiny. A saving relationship with the Almighty produces prayer and praise with joy. These are sure signs of a true-born heir of heaven. For this, the Lord also removes from us the praise and love of lesser things and gives the grace to love him and praise Him above all else.

And why not? God freely forgives the greatest sin and is willing to cleanse the very worst sinner. He proves His great love in giving Christ to die, the just for the unjust, that He may bring sinners to God. I am becoming more and more excited to glorify and rejoice in Him. Regardless of how I leave this world, I want to be singing His praises when that sun goes down.