Saturday, February 14, 2009

Contemplating continues...



Tim Hughes song "When tears fall" have the wonderful lines

"When hope is lost. I'll call you Saviour,
When pain surrounds, I'll call you healer"

The book of Lamentations and Psalms offers us all the words of hope and faith building techniques to help us in our journey. Many of the psalmists practised the discipline of recalling God' faithfulness as a stepping stone towards worship and hope. Psalm 13 offers us these words
"How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?"

beginning with a desperate cry the psalmist continues to statements of trust in God
"But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
for he has been good to me"

We have from the psalmist a wonderful truth that remembering releases rejoicing. When we cannot perceive God amidst the wilderness and pain, as clouds of uncertainty close in the way forward is to remind ourselves of what we know to be true and dependable - that is the grace of God.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Found myself wondering......



Over the past few weeks, which have been pretty awful with ill-health, - I have been reflecting alot. In doing so I have been drawn to the words of Matt and Beth Redman's song Blessed be your name. Profound words which echo the cry of many a heart. Where is God in it all or through it all? There are so many dichotomy's in life and for me this song personifies it.

Blessed be God in the sunset and the snow
Blessed be God in the nose bleeds and headaches
Blessed be God in the chicken dinners and chinese meals provided by others
Blessed be God in the words of tenderness and compassion
Blessed be God in the words of retaliation and anger
Blessed be God in the aunt and the uncle - one departed and the other nearing a new chapter
Blessed be God in the cards and flowers
Blessed be God in the tears and smiles
Blessed be God in the family and friends
Blessed be God in the known and unknown
Blessed be God forever and ever

Blessed be God in the wilderness for we humans only inhabit that place for a short time.