Worship

I want to be clear, this idea of praising the Lord always is not a cure-all. You will have bad days still happen and you will never forget seasons of suffering, but with Jesus, you can manage the loss, one day at a time. My prayer is today will equip you to manage, one day at a time.

We can praise the Lord at all times, because of what God has done for us: “I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.”- Psalm 34:4. Consider Horatio Spaddford, the author of the classic Hymn “It is Well.” Horatio had established a very successful legal practice in Chicago as a young man. He was also a devout Christian. Among Horatio’s friends were several evangelists including the famous Dwight L. Moody, also from Chicago. Unfortunately, Spafford’s fortune evaporated in the wake of the great Chicago Fire of 1871. Having invested heavily in real estate along Lake Michigan’s shoreline, he lost everything overnight. In a saga reminiscent of Job, his son died a short time before his financial disaster. But the worst was yet to come. Hymnologist Kenneth Osbeck tells the story: “Desiring a rest for his wife and four daughters as well as wishing to join and assist Moody and [his musician Ira] Sankey in one of their campaigns in Great Britain, Spafford planned a European trip for his family in 1873. In November of that year, due to unexpected last-minute business developments, he had to remain in Chicago, but sent his wife and four daughters on ahead as scheduled on the S.S. Ville du Havre. He expected to follow in a few days. On November 22 the ship was struck by the Lochearn, an English vessel, and sank in twelve minutes. Several days later the survivors were finally landed at Cardiff, Wales, and Mrs. Spafford cabled her husband, ‘Saved, but alone. What shall I do?”

At the news of the loss of his four daughters, Horatio immediately set sail for England. At one point during his voyage, the captain of the ship, aware of the tragedy that had struck the Spafford family, summoned Horatio to tell him that they were now passing over the spot where the shipwreck had occurred. As Horatio thought about his daughters, words of comfort and hope filled his heart and mind. He wrote them down, and they have since become a well-beloved hymn: When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll—Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to know. It is well, it is well with my soul. He then records why his soul remained well. Of all the lines in the hymn, this one comforts me the most. Horatio’s soul is well, not only because he will see his children again, but because of what Christ did on the cross for His sin to get Horatio there.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And has shed His own blood for my soul. My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

We can praise the Lord at all times because we remember the good He has done before: “Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”-Psalm 34:10. Oftentimes, we make a lot about the Lord providing for physical needs. Remember, context is everything! A Jew in the Jewish community doesn’t go to God like a genie, He goes to God for renewal, and comfort. God tells the Psalmist “Those who seek the Lord will lack nothing!” I find it profoundly comforting that the disciples would have known this Psalm at the Last Supper of Jesus before His crucifixion, and after His resurrection. At the Last Supper, they were about to lose their friend, Savior, and Lord to the Romans to be crucified. How does Jesus provide for the disciples so they lack no good thing in the bad moment that is coming? He asks them to remember Him. He charges the disciples that as often as they eat the bread, and the cup, to remember Jesus who was given, and whose blood was poured out for them. This reminder should be profoundly comforting in the life of a believer.

Remembering what Jesus had done before: was a needed memory when I was serving in Troup Texas. Rhiannon and I got called 7 times to pick up Evan at TSBVI for seizure related issues and hospital visits. I remember the first time well. Rhiannon called me and said she was on the way home because Evan has been sent to the hospital with 10 seizures throughout the day and had not consistently returned to baseline yet. The longer you don’t return to baseline after a seizure, the more damaging that can be for the one suffering from the seizure. It means the body and brain have not returned to normal function and awareness. The longer the brain is over stimulated, the more dangerous that is for a child, and can even kill him/her. Evan had not returned to baseline for over 10 minutes. THAT was Rhiannon and I were both fearful. Why is Evan having a seizure out of nowhere? What is now a very much under control condition with measures Rhiannon has fought for and hospitals and doctors have put in place, simply weren’t there that first time Evan had a string of seizures. Rhiannon came home and packed a bag in the event she had to stay in the hospital. When she threw her bag in the car to make the 4 hour car ride, she and I prayed together. Remember, praise and prayer are often the same, and rooted in the book of Psalms. Our prayer was that the Christ who was with His disciples in a painful moment, and made provision through His cross for all who turn to Him, would be with Evan, his doctors, and Rhiannon and I.

When Rhiannon hit the road, we felt that we needed to rope in as many people as possible of what was happening. We asked for prayer in a facebook post, and from there the Lord moved. People, churches, even folks we didn’t know were commenting they were praying for us. The abundance of prayer from others taught me this principle: Proximity to people of prayer inspires my own desire to pray. “I praise the Lord at all times” does not have good feelings in the job description: It is a choice to seek God in the presence of others, that can be a hard choice to make. That night, seeing this much response to Evan’s condition inspired Rhiannon and I to choose to pray more on the way down, scared as we were! As Rhiannon hurried to Austin, all we wanted was for the Lord to be near Evan and the staff, and us, no matter what happened. That is what the Psalmist wants us to consider, in bad circumstances, in loss, What has God done? Once again, David gives a helpful answer: “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. The Lord will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.”-Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭4‬-‭5‬, ‭9‬, ‭22‬.

Where do you need the comfort and deliverance of God today? Where are you hurting?Can you still praise Him? In a minute, I want to invite you to Communion, remembering Christ is with you and me, and always remembering the Saints we mentioned today. And remember, we can praise God at all times because He is the only one who understands what you are going through, and He weeps with you. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen.