Having the opportunity to choose is a powerful thing. I have used the idea of giving my kids "choices" as a way to give them a little control in their lives - even if it means they are choosing between two things that will both result in obedience, it tends to flow more freely when they are allowed to have a choice.
I can remember early thoughts in my Christian walk of how essential it is to understand that God gives us the freedom of choice. He does not force Himself upon us and demand our love or our obedience as though we were robots....He offers us the choice. The choice to follow Him. The choice to trust His ways. The choice to accept His gifts of grace, redemption, love. How much more rewarding to receive when it was given through the freedom of choice.
Today, my thoughts have been centered around a song that has become very special to me...and reminds me what I am called to choose on this day. It talks about life and its good and its bad - that in both scenarios, God is praiseworthy. The song is called "Blessed Be Your Name". The first time I heard this song, several years ago, I was impacted by the idea "He gives and takes away, He gives and takes away" - it made me think that I didn't really understand that concept in a deeply personal way. Time has since passed. Life has thrown some curve balls at me. Those very same lines of the song impact me now in a very different way...as does this line...."when there is pain in the offering, blessed be your name" and "my heart will choose to say, blessed be your name".
Again, the power of choice. It can make all the difference in how my day goes - what do I choose - in spite of circumstances, in spite of emotions, in spite of good or bad...what am I choosing? There is a lot of power in each choice.
So today... I walk on with the knowledge that sometimes all that makes sense is to choose. Today I choose...
* to say blessed be the name of the Lord
* to trust even when I do not understand
* to take the higher road when my natural tendency is to want to be reactionary
* to remember that life and growth is a process and it is okay to be exactly where I am today, as long as I desire to continue on in this journey
* to rest in God's grace
I am thankful today for this song and for the power of choice.
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 am found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wildnerness
Blessed be your name
Every blessing you pour out
I'll turn back to praise
And 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
Every blessing you pour out
I'll turn back to praise
And 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
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, Blessed be your name
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4 comments:
This is my favorite song. It epitomizes how I want my Christian walk to look like. Even though I fall short everyday these words give me something to aim for. "When the darkness closes in Lord still I will say, blessed be the name of the Lord!" Love you Care.
Wow. At my grandpa's funeral last summer, this song came on the radio just as we pulled out of the church parking lot en route to the cemetary. It was perfect for that moment. And for most other moments, too.
You know it is easy to sing that particular song when everything seems to being going so well in your life and when it doesn't, it is so hard to even feel like singing the song. I think that is when God is wanting to lift us up and comfort us even more when things are not going so well. I know that is a concept I struggle with but I still need to say, "blessed be the name of the Lord." Love ya!
Thanks for the thoughts. It is good to be reminded in all times, good and hard, that God is to be blessed. Thank you for sharing and encouraging me.
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