Tuesday, August 14, 2007

A Change In View

In “other” words quote for August 10th

“Blessed Be Your name, When I’m found in the desert place, Though I walk through the wilderness. Blessed Be Your name. . .” ~ Matt Redman ~ Lyrics from “Blessed be Your Name.”

Throughout this song by Matt Redman he sings about “blessed be the name of the Lord.” He gives thanks to the Lord for the blessings he has received. It didn’t matter if they were in good times or bad, in the desert or out. His promise to God was he was going to take those blessings and turn each of them back into some sort of praise to the Lord.

Hearing this song reminds me of a passage in Lamentations 3 I used frequently during my own desert walks through dry barren ground with little to no fruit showing. Here Jeremiah makes a list of all the things happening in his life. Instead of seeing the words “pity me” stamped out across the bottom of the chapter he makes a different statement in verses 19-21. His words were, “I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall, I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. YET this I call to mind and therefore I have hope. (NIV)”

From there he talks about the Lord’s great love and His compassions that never fails, followed by more words of praise, encouragement, and feelings of hope for what the Lord was doing. In his own words he was saying what Matt says in his song, “though I walk through the wilderness, blessed be Your name, Lord. Blessed be Your name.”

Instead of dwelling on the bitterness, the gall, the hard times, and the rough roads during our desert~wilderness walks we need a change in view. Shifting our eyes and heart off the negative things that seem to make the “well remembered” list we need to look upon what the Lord is doing for us. Years ago when life was much tougher for my family and me, the well remembered list I carried in my heart were all the things Satan would want me to dwell upon with little to no room to recall the blessings I was receiving. Looking past where I should have been focusing, I found it difficult to see much of anything as a blessing.

Unaware of it at the time, I later noticed I was playing the role of an Israelite caught in the desert after their escape from Egypt. I was foolishly extending my journey because of grumbling, complaining and disobedience. At the same time I viewed some of God’s word as misprints that didn’t pertain to me. Allowing Satan to convince me that my circumstances were unique! Thinking I could look past God’s written word without applying my name and incidents to each and every one was idiocy indeed.

Evidently I had yet to learn it is God who is unique, not my situations. It is Him who is capable of blessing me as I wander the desert sands of what appears to be a barren time in my life with no signs of existence or hope. The One who cares enough to find and rescue me from the wilderness of the things surrounding me. Those places inhabited by the distractions in life that could eventually choke God out if allowed to grow out of control.

Most certainly the traveling arrangements I had made for myself during these times were all wrong. Instead of closing my eyes and heart to any blessings that were there for me it was time to change positions and get off my duff and on to my knees. Making an effort to claim the truth in the scriptures I was looking at earlier as misprints.

Walking through the desert on my knees changed my view of what was going on in my life. Finally I had arrived at the “YET,” recalling and focusing on the blessings that were there for me all along. An act that enabled me to wipe off the pity me written across the bottom of that particular chapter in my life and make the choice Matt as well as Jeremiah did to turn every blessing back into some sort of praise to the Lord. Something that was done not because of a change in my circumstances but a modification in my attitude, Praise the Lord!

Closing Thought: The blessings of God are out there. It’s up to us to change our view and look for them. Pulling them out and dwelling upon them giving God the glory and the praise He deserves. Blessings such as those received as He walks with us during our rough times, carrying us when we are weak, shedding light where darkness would rather dwell. Coming along on our journey with fresh supplies of strength, comfort, guidance, and encouragement needed to make it to the finish line. Indeed, blessed be the name of the Lord! Amen? Amen!


Our host this week is "Sting my heart" travel over there and read what others have to say about today's quote.

3 comments:

Miriam Pauline said...

Beautifully said. Bless you for sharing.

Aunt Angie said...

Oh I love that thought---Jeremiah's words--YET this I call to mind and therefore I have hope.
And what a hope and joy we have...
Not only for this life...but for the joyous life to come!
YES!---Blessed be His Name!
Your thoughts blessed me tremendously!!!!

ellen b. said...

Amen may we bring Him to mind in these desert places and see His hand on us bringing us through. Blessings on you...
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