No Matter What, He’s Still Lord!

O LORD, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth! Psalm 8:9 NKJV

“O Lord, how excellent, how excellent, how excellent, is thy name!” A line from the lyrics of a worship song, aligned with The Word, is ringing in my heart today. When all of the depressing news–we need to remind ourselves of the excellence of our Lord, especially when the events that unfold around us, don’t make sense.

I have prayed, seeking understanding, and none has come forth. The Lord has reminded me that we don’t have to understand all that happens, but we must trust Him. Though my heart tends to sag, just a little, I can and I will allow Him to minister to me through His Word and the melodic tunes of worship that cause my lips to utter praises unto Him.

This then is how we handle the atrocious acts of hatred and bigotry and just dire tragedy. We don’t always understand why a loving God would allow some things to happen, but we must remember that He is the same God–from centuries ago–the God who allowed His chosen to be enslaved, but freed them according to His time-table. The God who allowed children to be massacred, in order for His plans to unfold.

I must reiterate this one point–God allows some things to happen, He does not cause them. Acts of hatred and bigotry are caused by the people who commit the acts; especially when they have no fear of God. They have the same “free will” as the rest of us and God doesn’t force anyone do anything.  Tragedies occur for a myriad of reasons, most of which I do not understand, but have learned that God knows best.

No, we don’t always understand why God allows things to happen, but we must remember–He has a plan and His plan will be fulfilled.

So perhaps, part of His plan for us right now is to remember–just how excellent He is and to know, we can find comfort in His Word when we allow Him to minister to our hearts.

Now, we can sing songs of worship acknowledging Him for who He is and songs of praise acknowledging all His mighty acts and goodness shown to us. Though it may be difficult to understand His goodness and mercy at the point of grief and despair, we will overcome and be stronger for it. Our God is truly amazing and He will never abandon us–whose hope is in Him, no matter how things look.

I’m gonna praise Him! I’m just gonna praise Him! He is still Lord of my life!

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What Song Are We Singing?

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25 NIV)

For anyone who pays attention to time–as we know it–it is always darkest at midnight, which is really the indicator of a new day. Think about it. We usually see the dawning of a new day when the sun rises in the east and we see it settling into its end at sunset in the west. Whether it is dark or light, time keeps moving forward to get to the next day.

If we were to view the challenges and problems in our lives as simply a moment in time, then we would be able to arise above the “feelings” of defeat, knowing that a new day is dawning and with it, new opportunities to achieve the success God has promised us. “Whatever you put your hands to, out of obedience, you will have good success.” What He said to Joshua still applies to us. When we are obedient, we must do something, not dwell in pity and caterwauling. 

Paul was obedient in promoting the Gospel and doing everything he knew was by unction of Holy Spirit. And because he was obedient, the naysayers–the arrogant and envious, and the greedy–found fault with him and he and Silas were beaten and thrown into jail. Now, they could have had a pity party and sat there singing “woe is me” songs and the other prisoners would have heard that, too. Instead, they sang songs of praise to God and prayed, believing they would be delivered, doubting nothing.

So, when the earthquake freed them from their chains, they could have taken off in the midst of confusion, but they chose to stay where they were. As a result of their decision, the jailer and all his household, chose to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and were saved.

Would the other prisoners have seen the power of God at work had they been singing sad songs? Had they muttered and grumbled, would their shackles have been broken? When we face challenges and trouble seems to know our address by heart, what songs are we singing? Are our lips and tongue saying what aligns with The Word or what aligns with the moment–our feelings?

Our reaction to challenges and troubles will determine whether we see the new day dawning with a new attitude and new mercies or whether we sink deeper into despair, not realizing that time moves forward whether it is dark or light outside. A new day, a new opportunity, new mercies each morning–thinking on the promises of God, not the darkness, creates an inner light within us and we know we can get to the next day.

What are we doing in the midnight hours of our life? Are shackles being broken or are the depths of despair shoveling deeper, preparing to bury us alive? Make sure our song and communication align with The Word and even in our midnights–hope in Jesus Christ will sustain us and because others will hear and see what we do, they will understand the power of God and believe.

Prophecies!

I know why the prophets sighed

Seeing future events unfold

Knowing, yet hesitant to tell

Of dark days and bright nights

Rising from earth, the hell

Unleashed on scorners from

All corners of life. No respect

For titles, position or wealth,

The gray, the lean, and in-between

Must now accept deed’s fate

Foretold hundreds of years ago,

By one who dared to speak

The Truth, yet remained not long

For fruit to bear its burden,

Sickness, disease, calamities

For truth’s tale felled prophets galore,

Until they would not speak much more,

But silently watched truth awake,

The skies,  and the earth, while they just sighed.

(c) 2002 Mary M. Hall-Rayford