Insight From Our Singing - part 1

At the recent conference that I attended we received the gift of a free hymnal.  Now I know with all that I have learned that they give us such things in the hopes that we like them so much that we purchase them at our church, but I decided to use it for something else entirely. I have added it to my devotional routine and began to read some of the hymns both old and new (yes, there are new hymns) and hear what they really are saying.

Sometimes on any given Sunday morning we are singing songs that are so familiar to us that we can sing them while half asleep.  Rarely do we stop to consider that the fact that we are singing is not what makes something worship, but the way that we are ascribing worth to God above.  This is primarily accomplished, not through the style of music, but primarily through the text of the song and what they are saying about our great God.  And so I read through hymn book to see what those who have gone before have said about God in their worship and as they are biblical and God-honoring, for myself to say the same things!  I wish for the next few weeks to share a few of these with you. 

Today I bring to you the third verse of an older hymn called "Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above".

The Lord is never far away
But through all grief distressing
An ever present help and stay,
Our peace and joy and blessing.
As with a mother's tender hand
He leads His own, His chosen band
To God all praise and glory.

Hebrews 13:5 reminds us of the truth of the first line - God will never leave us or forsake us.  This is a truth that is particularly difficult to understand especially when we face difficulty - the grief distressing.  He is an ever present help to us.  At this point we pause to consider my natural response to difficulty.  We are so quick to assume that God has left us or forgotten about us that we forget the simple truth of Scripture that God does not leave us or forsake us.  Therefore His help is "ever present". 

But the song goes even further and transitions from the grief distressing to the peace and joy and blessing that we receive when we belong to Christ!  What a glory!  Christ takes our difficulties and turns them into blessings.  We just need the patience to see it happen. 

The last line however is critical.  It reminds us that we are not here for our own praise, our own glory, or even our own comfort.  What we endure this side of glory is for the sake of His glory now and in eternity future.  This gives purpose to our pain and helps us to see that He has the long-view in mind.  What are you going through this day that you need to be reminded is for His praise and glory?  Will you choose to live to honor Him in the midst of the grief distressing?  Will you remember the promise of His presence?  If you will, He promises peace and joy and blessing.