We sang the song, Blessed Be Your Name, in church this past week. While I was singing it, I realized there are so many blessings we have in life: It was a hot, sunny day. It’s summer, my favourite season. I have a house, clothes, good food to eat, a wonderful family, great friends—all in all, I was feeling pretty blessed.
But my mind also drifted (as it does in church at times—oops!) to the many things that I was annoyed at or upset at or that are just a plain injustice in life today. Quite the contrast from my opening sediments!
And that brought me to wonder if I can really say, “Blessed be Your name” with integrity. Like I said, it’s easy to see God blessing me in the good times. When my husband and I got married, we were reminded of this verse from James 1:17: “Every good and perfect gift is from heaven above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights. . .” On our son’s birth announcement we used the verse, “Children are a gift from God. . .” (Psalm 127:3). And at the basis of my faith is Romans 6: 23b says, “. . .but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I am surrounded by gifts from God and can’t help but echo the psalmist’s words, “My mouth is filled with your praise. . . I will praise you more and more.” (Psalm 71:8, 14)
But what about those not so good times? I know it is then that I am in desperate need to remind myself of God’s goodness to me. I need to surround myself with scripture, songs, and encouragement that tell me how God is in control—and that that in itself deserves praise. Even though things don’t seem so good now, or even if things don’t seem so good to me, God is still a good God, worthy of all praise and glory.
And what about those times that I just feel all these “gifts” are owed to me? Yep, I admit it. Sometimes I look at the lack of fairness (in my humble opinion, of course!) in my life—my home, my workplace, my church, my social circles, my community, my everything—and think about how I really deserve more; I deserve better; I deserve something!!! And sometimes I even question God. How could you do this to me? How could you allow this to happen? How can you just let so-and-so get away with that? How can you stand to watch such-and-such unfold?
And that is when a song like this can cause me to be “sweetly broken.” Because yes, I can bless God for all the gifts that I recognize—for the plentiful land, the abundance, when life is just as it should be. I can take every blessing he pours out and turn it back into a praise to Him.
I am learning how to boldly say that, yes, I can praise God when I’m in a dessert place or when the darkness is closing in on me. Even when there is a pathway of suffering, to say these words, “Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name” (Psalm 103:1). Yes—ALL my inmost being must praise His holy name, even during these times.
And I’m learning to understand that I deserve nothing. On my own, I deserve absolutely nothing. But I was graciously given everything as a gift. I was given eternal life with my Lord and Saviour. As a gift. And that is how I must treat it—as a gift. And I must treat ALL of life as a gift. When tings are good or bad, just or unjust, positive or negative, in all circumstances, God game me an incredible gift. I don’t understand it all, but I can still confidently say, “Blessed by Your name” because He gave me this life—my eternal life—as a gift. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)
More passages to read: Psalm 103, Psalm 104, 2 Corinthians 9 and Hebrews 11:39-40
Blessed Be Your Name lyrics
Blessed be Your name
in the land that is plentiful
Where your streams of abundance flow
blessed be Your name
and 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'll turn back to praise
and 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
and 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
and blessed be your name
on the road marked with suffering
though there's pain in the offering
blessed be your name
Every blessing you pour out I'll 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 chose to say:
Blessed be Your name (blessed be Your name Lord)
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