Day 89: When Catastrophe Just Keeps on Singing
Read: Psalm 137
If you know much about OT literature/writings, you will realize that a
lot of times, especially in Psalms, that the stories were written as
poetic expressions of personal feelings/emotions, due to the
circumstances, good or bad, and let the truth be said here that at one
too many points in Israelite history 'catastrophe' was appropriate too.
All these ranges of expression came directly from deep within the
wounded heart, from what was taking place in the writers day to day
life. Songs of peace and hope, of prayer, comfort and love suddenly, when we are least prepared to change our tunes, throw up their hands surrendering themselves to the Song of Catastrophe.
One of the foremost examples of this is here in Psalm 137. For me, this is the toughest passage in the Bible. It is the song of the hopeless, it is the song of
deepest disgust, it is the song of deepest anger and hatred. It is a
song sung with the greatest possible passion against God and the Babylonians. God calls us to sing great songs of His salvation but where is this great and glorious salvation to be found in these words
the exiles sang: 'Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash
them against the rock!' Wow. In my heart of hearts, I grieve greatly for such words as these. God must've died!!!
Now, I know there ain’t nobody in this place that’s ever felt like
that, but let me tell you I can bear witness to what the writer’s
saying. I mean, when blessings are just overflowing all around you,
you’ve got plenty of money, lots to eat, everybody’s healthy, miracles
are all around us, etc.. We just can’t help but shout the victory for
the great goodness of the Lord. But suddenly, one day the bottom falls
out. Suddenly sickness has attacked you, you went to the checking acct.
and there’s nothing there, no food in the cabinets, you have a
foreclosure notice, your spouse is leaving ...!!! Will catastrophe ever stop shouting its horrific songs into our ears?
We think to
ourselves, how can we praise God in the midst of all this? But I will
tell you, and I pray that there will be a time when you can believe it,
that in the moments of deepest despair, that’s the time to lift up a
praise offering to the king. We have got it all backwards. We think all
we have to do is wait until everything is smoothed out, and peaceful
before we start singing praises again. When the greatest Songs of
Catastrophe have bombarded your ears long enough, just slowly begin to
sing Jesus. Gradually find one more reason each day to sing of God and
His greater goodness. THERE IS GREATER POWER IN YOUR PRAISE THAN THERE
IS IN YOUR DESPAIR!
Let us pray: Ever Living God, help me to
experience that in the midst of my very worst of times, when my mind is
becoming convinced that you have died and left me behind, that within my
heart of hearts, I am alive and well living in the truth that You are
alive and well and living within me (John 14:23). Praise God for our
Resurrection!
----------------------------------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghC3gqNQJPQ
Official God's Not Dead (Like A Lion) Lyric Video
www.youtube.com
Watch the official lyric video for the brand new Newsboys single "God's Not Dead (Like A Lion)"!
Read: Psalm 137
If you know much about OT literature/writings, you will realize that a lot of times, especially in Psalms, that the stories were written as poetic expressions of personal feelings/emotions, due to the circumstances, good or bad, and let the truth be said here that at one too many points in Israelite history 'catastrophe' was appropriate too. All these ranges of expression came directly from deep within the wounded heart, from what was taking place in the writers day to day life. Songs of peace and hope, of prayer, comfort and love suddenly, when we are least prepared to change our tunes, throw up their hands surrendering themselves to the Song of Catastrophe.
One of the foremost examples of this is here in Psalm 137. For me, this is the toughest passage in the Bible. It is the song of the hopeless, it is the song of deepest disgust, it is the song of deepest anger and hatred. It is a song sung with the greatest possible passion against God and the Babylonians. God calls us to sing great songs of His salvation but where is this great and glorious salvation to be found in these words the exiles sang: 'Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!' Wow. In my heart of hearts, I grieve greatly for such words as these. God must've died!!!
Now, I know there ain’t nobody in this place that’s ever felt like that, but let me tell you I can bear witness to what the writer’s saying. I mean, when blessings are just overflowing all around you, you’ve got plenty of money, lots to eat, everybody’s healthy, miracles are all around us, etc.. We just can’t help but shout the victory for the great goodness of the Lord. But suddenly, one day the bottom falls out. Suddenly sickness has attacked you, you went to the checking acct. and there’s nothing there, no food in the cabinets, you have a foreclosure notice, your spouse is leaving ...!!! Will catastrophe ever stop shouting its horrific songs into our ears?
We think to ourselves, how can we praise God in the midst of all this? But I will tell you, and I pray that there will be a time when you can believe it, that in the moments of deepest despair, that’s the time to lift up a praise offering to the king. We have got it all backwards. We think all we have to do is wait until everything is smoothed out, and peaceful before we start singing praises again. When the greatest Songs of Catastrophe have bombarded your ears long enough, just slowly begin to sing Jesus. Gradually find one more reason each day to sing of God and His greater goodness. THERE IS GREATER POWER IN YOUR PRAISE THAN THERE IS IN YOUR DESPAIR!
Let us pray: Ever Living God, help me to experience that in the midst of my very worst of times, when my mind is becoming convinced that you have died and left me behind, that within my heart of hearts, I am alive and well living in the truth that You are alive and well and living within me (John 14:23). Praise God for our Resurrection!
----------------------------------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghC3gqNQJPQ
Official God's Not Dead (Like A Lion) Lyric Video
www.youtube.com
Watch the official lyric video for the brand new Newsboys single "God's Not Dead (Like A Lion)"!
Official God's Not Dead (Like A Lion) Lyric Video
www.youtube.com
Watch the official lyric video for the brand new Newsboys single "God's Not Dead (Like A Lion)"!
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