During my quiet time with the Lord this morning this phrase came to my mind. First time I heard that song was years ago at a funeral so it was always something that came to my mind during the loss of a loved one! “He gives and takes away.” As I sat here thinking about those few words, I began to think of my life and the things we once had, but have now been lost! There are many! Some things have been replaced with better things, some things were just gone. It is during those times of loss that allow us to grow in our faith. Do I grow or do I sit here and contemplate all the things that are no longer in my life? Does contentment reign in my heart during seasons of loss? Or do the things that are gone leave me with a sense of doom and gloom, or do they cause me to look to the One who has always been faithful to me and continues to give to me things that are for my good? Do I cherish Him or things? This week alone has brought news of death to family members of some dear friends! News of friends who are struggling with health issues and are in the hospital, relational issues of others, divorce, friends waiting on test results from their doctor, and so much more. These are the times that cause us to either loose our joy (and sometimes our faith) and struggle to keep our minds “staid on Him” or to stand and say….the joy of the Lord is my strength! Do we still suffer senses of loss? You bet we do. Do we still wonder why we have hard times? Absolutely! But the One who creates us and loves us more than we can ever imagine has a purpose for our lives…even during times of loss! Today I began to think of loss as more than just loosing someone. There are losses in our lives that are hard to bear, and cause us to walk in constant need of His strength. Some diseases which change people from who they always were! The loss of freedom of going and doing the things we always loved to do. The loss of certain friendships or not have the relationships with family that we desire can also cause us to feel discouraged. But as we continue to walk in faith, we begin to realize that even during these times, our lives can still radiate His peace and His joy! We can still be a light in this dark world! If our eyes and our hearts are anchored in Jesus, we can point others going through tough times by sharing Jesus with them. This song has been so precious to me during tough times!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His Glory and Grace!
As wonderful as some of the new praise songs we hear today are, it is the old hymns that come to my mind during hard days! Whether you are in a season of Him giving or taking away, Blessed be the name of the Lord
Will end this with the words from the song that inspired this post:
Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name
Blessed Be Your name
When I’m found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name
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
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
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord blessed be Your name
Chocolate Castles 