Blessed be the Name of the Lord

Blessed be your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where the streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
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
Oh, There's pain in the offering
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
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 stay
Well Blessed be your name

- Blessed be Your Name, Tree 63

I'm sitting in Denny's writing this one on my Palm IIIxe. I'd listened to the song on the way over, but their Muzak is playing BeeGees - "How Deep is Your Love". Yuk. Drove all thoughts of Tree 63 out of my head. :-(

But the idea is still fresh. Written, presumably, with a thought to Job, this song says (and this is Clay's Paraphrase again) "no matter what life deals me, I will say Blessed be the Name of the Lord."

It's a hard thing to remember, especially when it feels like life's dealing from the bottom of the deck. How can you sing praises when you want to reach out and touch somone with a closed fist ? "Praise God and let this left break this guy's nose."

It's even worse when the problem isn't a person but a seemingly cursed house. At least a bruise will heal. Put a hole in the wall and your wife will never let you forget. Trust me, I know.

So, I'm left with an attitude that needs to praise God, but instead screams out (not in Denny's, thank you very much) "Who is doing this to me and why are you doing it?"

There can only be two possible answers - God or Satan.

For those who may be reading this that don't believe in this malarkey, here are my troubles: A/C quit - and another Houston summer is rapidly approaching. The TV quit - I may be able to fix it. I haven't had a job in four years. There's a hole in the ceiling where I fell through when working in the attic - yeah, I know, I brought that one on myself. The sewer backed up twice in 14 months - both times 'cuz they were doing maintenance on the lines. This time they don't want to replace the damaged carpet. The galvanized pipes routinely leak. Both cars need major work. The siding on my garage needs replaced. And we barely have the dough to make ends meet under ideal conditions.

This cannot possibly be random chance. A string of events like this would prove to the most hardcore atheist that there is/are higher power(s).

So, it's gotta be God or Satan, right? The Bible tells us that God loves us right? If He loves us, then why would He do this to us, especially someone who believes himself to be saved by the Blood of the Lamb? Well, first off, the saved of this world are no different from everyone else. Some just don't like to admit it. We are told that we will endure trials for His name's sake: Count it all joy, my brothers, whenever you fall into various trials, knowing that the proving of your faith works out sndurance. And let endurance have its perfect work that you may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4, Recovery Version. We also know that the Lord will not give more of a trial than we can overcome - with His help. No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.

1 Corinthians 10:13, The Message

So, if this trial comes from the Lord, then I know that I will make it through as long as I lean on Him.

If, on the other hand, this trial is borne of the enemy, then I am to lean on Christ all that much more. Nothing on Earth is worth more to me than Christ. As a servant of Christ, I make sure my family is properly cared for. As a servant of Christ, I ensure my family is taught His ways.

As a target of the enemy, however, I am undoing all the teachings of Christ. And it's all because I don't sing praises when I am afflicted.

I am 40. Four years ago I became a Christian. The 36 years of rage; 36 years of trying to handle life's difficulties on my own - they are dying a slow death. Though Clay Harryman was crucified on the cross on Januzry 30, 2002, some of the old heart keeps creeping back. Satan doesn't want to let me go.

So, I'm back where I started. How can I sing praises when I just want to lay down and cry?

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord

So, like so many before me, I just suck it up and praise the Lord. After all, I can't take it with me. And these ~80 years (of which 40 are past :o ) will only be a flash in the pan of eternity. My house in Glory won't need an air conditioner. It won't have a hole in the ceiling. I won't need a TV. Nor will I have a mortgage. I will be able to praise His Name for all time as I finally experience perfect peace. No more trials. No more broken dreams. No more chasing after the wind

All through Ecclesiastes.

So, while we still have breath, let's show Satan what it's all about. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!