RSS

“And Your Praise Goes On” by Chris Rice

12 Sep

The moon is high and the sunset fades
The lullabies have all been sung
We’re tuckin’ in another day
And stars appear now one by one
But the stillness moves and the silence yields
And not a single beat is lost
You can hear the chorus in the fields
Taking up where we left off

And Your praise goes on, rising to Your throne
Where You guard us while we dream
Past the stars they fly, Your praises fill the sky
‘Til You wake us with the dawn
And Your praise goes on

Now bring your warmth, O morning sun
Chase the stars and the moon away
And wake us with your brightest song
And add our voice to your refrain
Now rise up everything that lives!
Flap your wings and leap for joy!
Oh forest lift your arms and sway!
Clap your hands you ocean waves!

And Your praise goes on, rising to Your throne
Where You bless our toil and play
Through the clouds they rise, Your praises fill the skies
‘Til the setting of the sun
And Your praise goes on

And when my final breath You lend
I’ll thank You for the life You gave
But that won’t mean the praises end
‘Cause I won’t be silenced by the grave!

And Your praise goes on
I’ll be runnin’ to Your throne
With every nation, tribe and tongue
To Your arms I’ll fly
I’ll gaze into Your eyes
Then I’ll know as I am known
And Your praise goes on
And Your praise goes on
And Your praise goes on

Dear God, we lost a loved one yesterday. He was sweet. He was loving. He also had struggles. The kinds of things we all battle through our lives. But he loved you. He loved his wife. He loved his children and grandchildren. No, everything wasn’t picture-perfect. Relationships weren’t all completely whole upon his death. There were things left unsaid, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

I woke up at 3:00 this morning, thinking about him. He is the last of his family of origin to die. He outlived his wife by just over 10 years. We don’t know exactly when he died. He was gone by the time we found him, but I know that you know exactly when he passed. I know you were there. I also know there was a cloud of witnesses ready to welcome him home. His wife. His parents. Even the daughter my wife and I lost during pregnancy 25 years ago. They were there to greet him. What we found was a shell. His soul was with you.

So your praise goes on. I was walking around the house this morning listening to my headphones when the song above came on. It’s about how this earth cannot help but worship you. If we don’t do it then the rocks will cry out. But the last verse really caught my attention:

And when my final breath You lend
I’ll thank You for the life You gave
But that won’t mean the praises end
‘Cause I won’t be silenced by the grave!

And Your praise goes on
I’ll be runnin’ to Your throne
With every nation, tribe and tongue
To Your arms I’ll fly
I’ll gaze into Your eyes
Then I’ll know as I am known
And Your praise goes on

I don’t think I ever noticed that line towards the end of the chorus: “Then I’ll know as.I am known.” I know I don’t know you like you know me. I don’t even know a fraction of you. We hold onto life. We fight so hard. But it is fleeting. Now, he knows what I don’t know quite yet. By the time we found him, he was in pure joy. Maybe he watched us. Maybe he cried over our lack of understanding as we called 911. If it’s possible, I’m sure he did his best to wrap us up, or at least beseeched the Holy Spirit to wrap us up.

And now your praise goes on. My wife and I have a path to walk, and it must include your praise. You worked out so many things over the last three years for his good and for ours. How could you possibly care enough to have done all of that for us? But you do. You do. What an amazing God you are. When I look at even the small details of how you ordained my steps yesterday–even against my will–I stand amazed at you. Give us your wisdom to help healing happen in those broken relationships. It won’t be easy, but the situation is what it is. And I’m trusting that it’s what you need it to be because I am convinced that not even the smallest detail has escaped your notice. And again, I stand in awe of you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
1 Comment

Posted by on September 12, 2020 in Hymns and Songs

 

Tags: ,

Isaiah 46:1-5

10 Sep

Bel and Nebo, the gods of Babylon, bow as they are lowered to the ground. They are being hauled away on ox carts. The poor beasts stagger under the weight. Both the idols and their owners are bowed down. The gods cannot protect the people, and the people cannot protect the gods. They go off into captivity together. “Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. “To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?

Isaiah 46:1-5

Dear God, is it a problem if I can’t even tell what my idols are anymore? I think it probably is. Sometimes, I think I’ve created so many idols for myself that as soon as I get rid of one there is another ready to take its place.

Money. Sure money is an idol that I wrestle with from time to time, but it’s not a huge issue for me. The best way to deal with the money being an idol issue is to give some away. In fact, my wife and I have found through the years that the best thing for us to do in times of feeling insecure about money is to find a place or person to give some of it to.

Maybe that’s the pattern. My work. My children. My home. My safety. My car. My theology. My church. My intellect. My entertainment. My time. My health. These are all things that compete for my worship. How do I give those away?

I’m reminded of the hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” The chorus still sits in my head:

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

Father, help me to turn my eyes upon Jesus today. Help me to look fully in His wonderful face. I need Him. I need the Holy Spirit. I need you. Fill me and help me to charge into this day under your blessing and power.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on September 10, 2020 in Isaiah

 

Tags:

Titus 2:1-2,6-8

09 Sep

As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience…

In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.

Titus 2:1-2,6-8

Dear God, I used to see myself as the “young men” in these passages, but I suppose I have aged into being the “older men.” I would guess that it is hard for a young pastor to lead older men. I’ll confess that I have times when I look at a younger person who means well but just doesn’t have the experience yet to see what I see. Of course, there are those who see me and think the same thing. It comes up most with parenting. Now that my children are in their 20s, I find that I have a low tolerance for advice from people whose children are not yet teenagers. They just don’t know, and I hope they never do, how tricky it can be.

So what does the young pastor do? What do I, as a 50-year-old lay person, do? Well, it’s pretty easy according to this passage. Exercise self control. Be respectable. Live wisely. Have integrity. Of course, with Paul, it always seems to come back to what he told the Galatians about the fruit of the Spirit. If I have the Holy Spirit then these things will start to grow out of me naturally: love, joy, peace, patients, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, kindness, self control, etc.

I’ve been really troubled lately by seeing some of the local pastoral leadership in our community start to take sides in the tug of war happening on social media. And it’s not like they are leading in positivity. They are ridiculing the positions of others. They are making light of things that concern others. They are seemingly seeing only one side of a few given issues of which I think there are at least two legitimate sides. It’s been disheartening.

Father, help me to exercise self control, live wisely and respectably, and sacrifice anything necessary to maintain integrity. And do it all for your glory and not mine. I really don’t want to increase. I want to decrease so that you will increase. Be glorified through my life and draw others to yourself through me.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
1 Comment

Posted by on September 9, 2020 in Titus

 

“Fear is the path to the dark side” — Yoda

06 Sep
“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear lead to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Yoda

Dear God, I know that George Lucas wasn’t referencing you with all of the “force” talk in Star Wars, but there is some truth in it. I think Jesus tried to teach us something similar about hate and loving our enemies

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor,’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:43-45a)

So why does it feel so good to give in to the hate? Why do I find myself wanting to sink into the news and hate people who are on the other side of the political spectrum than me? It feels so good to see them experience pain or disappointment. It feels so good to try to prove them wrong. Before I know it, I’m reading news articles that will bring me good news of their destruction. 

It’s interesting that Yoda stars with fear in that quote above. Is there something I’m afraid of that drives my fear. Is my disease fear and the symptom is hate? I’d say that line from George Lucas is pretty brilliant and probably right. There are all kinds of verses about fearing not. Jesus goes into it several times, talking about how we worry about things over which we have no control. Consider the lilies of the field, and all of that. 

So what scares me and why does it scare me? Am I scared of someone being president? Am I scared of threats to the economy? Am I scared of other nations? Am I scared I won’t get my way? 

Father, reveal to me where I am scared and not trusting you. Help me to pray for both men currently running for president. And do with our nation what you will. You know the path you have for us. You know what you want to happen in the world. Help me to do my part in making that happen. And please help me to love my enemies and let go of my fear and hate.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
1 Comment

Posted by on September 6, 2020 in Miscellaneous, Musings and Stories

 

Tags: , , , , , ,

2 Timothy 1:13-14

04 Sep

Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.
2 Timothy 1:13-14

Dear God, this passage makes me think about a praise chorus:

Spirit of the Living God

Spirit of the living God
Fall afresh on me
Spirit of the living God
Fall afresh on me

Break me, melt me
Mold me, fill me
Spirit of the living God
Fall afresh on me

I still don’t think about the Holy Spirit enough. It’s probably because it wasn’t as engrained in my biblical teaching growing up as it should have been.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, break me, melt me, mold me, fill me. Use this day to do all of those things.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on September 4, 2020 in Uncategorized

 

Isaiah 48:17

03 Sep

This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow.

Isaiah 48:17

Dear God, I was just praying with my wife about you teaching us through some of the struggles we are experiencing. And to be clear, I am not complaining about the struggles. You have been better to us than we deserve. In fact, I hesitate to even use the word struggle when I compare my life to the lives of friends, but there are challenges to face, and I don’t want these challenges to be wasted. I want to be able to look back and see that I grew close to you through them.

That leads me to thinking about some of my friends who are struggling. Some are facing health issues. Some are facing issues with their children. One lost a child to a tragically random act of violence. Going back to this verse teach all of them, and me, what is good for us along this path you have for us, and show us the path to follow. Show me how to support my friends. Bring glory to yourself and not to me.

Father, I have a pastor friend who likes to say, “Never waste a good crisis.” That makes sense. It’s the crises of my life that you use to grow me and draw me closer to yourself. So I submit myself to you along this path. Shine through me and help me to live a life that brings you glory and your kingdom and will being dong into earth as it is in heaven.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on September 3, 2020 in Isaiah

 

Luke 4:40

02 Sep

As the sun went down that evening, people throughout the village brought sick family members to Jesus. No matter what their diseases were, the touch of his hand healed every one.

Luke 4:40

Dear God, I’ve always struggled with healing. Just how much do I believe in it? I pray for sick people, but I’m always cautious because I am acutely aware that your answer is often, “No.” Do I need more faith? Does my level of faith affect your answer?”

It reminds me of the story in the next chapter (Luke 5:12-14) when the leper comes to Jesus and says, “Lord, if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” Then it says Jesus reached out his hand, touched him (which was a risk in and of itself) and said, “I am willing. Be healed!”

Note the exclamation mark and where it’s placed. “Be healed!” I don’t often pray with that much confidence. Is confidence the difference.

Father, I can think of several patients here at the clinic that need your healing. I can think of friends and family that need your physical healing. If you are willing, please heal. I also have friends who have tragically lost people close to them. Please draw them to yourself and heal their hearts. Please use all of these situations for your glory. Do not let one ounce of pain be in vain, but use it all so that each life that touches these situations will find its peace in you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
1 Comment

Posted by on September 2, 2020 in Luke

 

Proverbs 22:6

01 Sep

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.
Proverbs 22:6

Dear God, this reminds me of the line in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie when Elizabeth Swan keeps talking about the pirate code and Captain Barbosa eventually says that it’s really more of a “guideline.” That’s how I feel about this passage. It’s really more of a guideline than a rule. I suppose most of the proverbs are.

One really only had to look at biblical characters (including the author of this proverb) to see that this is a nice thought, but not a hard and fast rule. Starting with Cain and then moving throughout history, the Bible is full of stories where people tried to do the right thing by their children, but the children did not walk with you (I’m looking at you, Parents of Samson). Things happen. Life happens. Free will happens. What I’m left with is hoping that the work I did as a parent (and it was far from perfect) established some sort of a tether between my children and me so that if they wander from the path they will at least know that they are never not loved.

Father, I took this verse much more seriously 20 years ago, when my children were one and four years old. Now I have let go of it and I look to other verses about dying to myself and living by faith and not by sight to guide me. Of course we should do our best to raise up our children in the way they should go. That’s part of the deal. But this verse isn’t your promise. I’ve decided it’s just a guideline. I hope that’s not heretical to say, but it’s the best I know to say given my life experience. Guide me in who you need me to be for my two adult children today.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on September 1, 2020 in Proverbs

 

Psalm 95:1-3

31 Aug

Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.

Psalm 95:1-3

Dear God, is this a psalm we would be willing to sing today as Christians (or Jews)? Can we look beyond the anger and hate happening around us–perhaps even through us–and come together as the church to worship you? Can we allow our eyes to drift beyond the “reality” that they can see and use your eyes to see the reality you know is there? Can we allow our hearts to worship and rejoice when our instincts are to be fearful and feel sorry for ourselves?

I guess I should change all of those questions to declarations.

Father, I will worship you and rejoice today. I will reject the anger and hate I feel and embrace the faith of a true disciple. I will try to put myself into community with your body of believers. I will strive to see more than my eyes can see. Please give me your eyes. I reject fear and self pity and embrace the peace that comes from turning loose of my own life and its outcomes and resting in whatever lot you have for me.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on August 31, 2020 in Psalms

 

Ephesians 5:25-30

30 Aug

25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. 30 And we are members of his body.

Ephesians 5:25-30

Dear God, I was talking with a friend the other day who was telling me about some issues he is having with his wife. She is experiencing a lot of anxiety and anger over the current societal issues (politics, pandemic, and social unrest), and it is spilling out into how she responds to him. At the same time, he is incredibly stressed at work. He feels overloaded and burned out. Unfortunately, because I had to push our meeting about 30 minutes later than we originally scheduled it, we didn’t get as long as I would have liked to visit with him more about his situation. But I’ve thought about it a lot over the last two days.

One of the things I’ve considered is how my favorite marriage book, Sacred Marriage would address his issue. Starting with the premise of its subtitle, “What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy,” I found myself wondering how you might be working on my friend’s faith through this situation and through his wife. What are you teaching him in this that he apparently wouldn’t learn any other way? While I don’t know the answer for him, it would probably be a good question to ask him.

I picked these scriptures this morning because they are our command as husbands. Love your wives. Cherish them. Cleanse them. Present them as holy. Give yourselves up for them. It’s not about them taking care of us. It is about us taking care of them. If you inspire them to care for us then great, but we need to learn to go into our marriages as your servants. You came as our servant even when we didn’t deserve it and your love guides us into being whole. If his wife isn’t whole right now, your love, through him, can get her there.

Father, help me to know how to help my friends. And help me to be the husband and father you are calling me to be. Do it all for your glory and so that you might use my marriage to make me holy more than to make me happy.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on August 30, 2020 in Ephesians

 
← Older posts
Newer posts →