Out of the Winter

We sang a great praise song in church on Sunday which was really appropriate for the disaster that we are still recovering from. The song was "Blessed Be Your Name" written by Matt Redman and interestingly, it is the only praise song that I know from the book of Job in the bible.

I have always really enjoyed this song and when I was a praise leader for my old church--we had a drummer who also really liked this song and I would schedule this song sometimes just to brighten his week. So I have a bit of history with this song.

But as I was singing on Sunday and reflecting upon the snow storms of the past weeks, the hurt and mess they have caused this region came to mind and I was really struck by these words from the song:

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

It is easy to praise God when everything is going well--but in the midst of crisis and disaster, when we are asking the question--"Why Me?" it is not so easy to praise--yet in the song we are encouraged to praise God in while we are traveling the road marked with suffering.

Out of the suffering that we were all experiencing during the past weeks, there have been many blessings--as families got closer and communities pulled together to clear snow from each others houses. And we became more concerned about our neighbors.

We hosted the best Super Bowl Party ever in the midst of the snow--with just our neighbors who were also snow bound. And we got to know them better and appreciate them.

Redman exhorts us to do the following in the song:

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

And I rediscovered during the past weeks--that no matter where I am or no matter what I am experiencing I need to Bless the Name of the Lord--because I am in His hands. And He has richly blessed me in more ways than I can comprehend.

BTW--that doesn't mean I have to like snow!