Tag Archives: Chris Rice

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