(A promised, and quick, continuation of Thursday's post.)
Wow, nobody's found terrestrial joys whilst downcast? Not a single one of you have slipped a giggle under duress? There's been a complete black hole of earthly encouragement? I shudder to think that God would create such a magnificent world, then fill it with a plethora of people we so dearly love, (argh, "All For Love" by Adams, Stewart, and Sting just came on over the Musak-- almost as irritating as Bryan Adams' Prince of Thieves' opus [sorry, Josh and Holly]. And, yes, I'm aware of the irony in the timing of the song's entrance in my posting.) only to let all the Godly wonders and marvels be of little consequence to us when we need them the most.
Well, alright, then, there ought to be an enormous outpouring of Spiritual responses, Bible references, sermon notes, hymn lyrics, and gentle whispers from the Almighty Himself as encouragement during dark and troublesome times from each of your (plural) past. Let 'em rip. Overload the server. Sing (or shout, if you prefer, just not in all caps) from the electronic mountaintops of how the Glorious God of all creation lifted up your head while He Omega'd the work which He Alpha'd in you. (See what I did there?) Who, what, where, how (the other's don't matter herein) was your hope restored, were your legs revived, your burden lifted and went rolling away, rolling away, rolling away ... ? (Bonus points for your hymn quote if you can tell me the page number from the old EAC hymnal.)
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6 comments:
Hey. I didn't want you to think I had nothing in this (or the other, for that matter) category...but I'm a little swamped right now. I'll get back to ya, K? But at least now you know I'm still listening.
Sorry I came up with nothing for the previous post. But this one - this post brought something instantly to mind. And it's a bit in reverse - the comfort came first, and then the difficulties - huge ones in one big, continuous dumping.
Dad and I were practicing for a duet at home one day. The song was "Hide Thou Me". We were singing along, and all of a sudden, I burst into tears. Dad's eyes flew wide open (well, that's relative, isn't it? As wide as they go then ;) and I continued to sob. I KNEW in my heart of hearts that we were in for some fires of some sort to walk through. Later that year, dad came within a couple of days, literally, of losing his job or ending up in some obscure corner of "God's beautiful creation" as you so aptly put it. During that process, our dearest friends lost their grandson, as they knew him, in a near-drown accident, which precipitated a whole new set of emotions. Dad remembers fear as the overriding emotion of that time. Everything we knew and loved was being jerked away from us. But I remembered that song that had so impacted my life that day in our little humble dumpy house in Snohomish. Here, for the enjoyment and enlightenment of all who read this blog, is the 1st verse and chorus of the song. And although it would be considered an old-fashioned song by today's standards, interestingly enough when I typed it in the search bar, the first several listings of it were connected to Elvis Presley. And yes, it IS the same song.
Sometimes I feel discouraged
And I think my works in vain
I'm tempted oft(en) to murmur
To grumble and complain
But then I think of Jesus
And all he's borne for me
Then I cry
Oh rock of ages
Hide thou me
Oh rock of ages
Hide thou me
No other refuge
Can save but thee
Through this old world
I've wandered so far, far from thee
Then I cry
Oh rock of ages
Hide thou me
I've never forgotten the song or the experience. Could hardly get through it when we sang it in church. Didn't know what was coming, but knew it was huge. This song has come back to me time and again when things are tough. God speaks through music as well as scriptures :)
Sorry I forgot - that song is not in the old EAC hymnal - thus the internet search.
(Just for future reference--Elvis recorded that song FORTY-TWO years ago! So, yeah, it, and he, are old-fashioned.)
Doesn't make it bad! Vintage is in, ya know! And the truth NEVER changes :)
Gabe,
I am about a month late for this one, having been in Mexico and away from all internety things. So here's a song I like - or rather, here's the last two stanzas of a hymn I like.
Have you no words? Ah, think again,
Words flow apace when you complain;
And fill your fellow creature’s ear
With the sad tale of all your care.
Were half the breath thus vainly spent,
To Heav’n in supplication sent;
Your cheerful song would oft’ner be,
“Hear what the Lord has done for me.”
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