Soaring on the Wings of Praise

GEM FOR THE DAY

Oswald speaks to the believer about being dejected in his devotional: he claims feelings of depression or having a down cast spirit is "always wrong" for the Christian. His position on the matter--though difficult to hear--is grounded in the truth: for a child of God there is always hope and peace in salvation. Therefore, though circumstances may feel like hurricane forces--which bend believers like palm trees near their base--a greater force keeps their roots anchored through the storm.

For most believers it is extremely difficult to praise God, when your life is being battered by gale force winds. Shouldn't a Father protect his children from the hurricane pains of life? Furthermore, why would a loving and kind God send forth trials like twisters from hell to test us? The answer to this question is provided in God's Word:

"We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given." (Romans 5:3-5NIV).

The Word of God testifies to the use of circumstances to break a stubborn servant's will: the challenges of Joseph, King David, Jonah and the first apostles: Peter, Steven, John and Paul were necessary to mature their faith and serve God's purpose. However, while these men battled the winds of adversity, they avoided being carried away by despair. How did they do this? The valued God over everything else.

According to Oswald, the driving force behind winds of despair is actually one of two sources: the first is satisfied lust and the second is unsatisfied lusts. This meaning, people are either depressed because they are not getting what they desire or, after having obtained their lust they remain unfulfilled. Either way, their down cast spirit is a result of their own covetousness and therefor a consequence of sin.

This seems harsh considering despair is often a result of losing someone or something of extreme value: a spouse, child, parent, or friend. Less heartbreaking losses of things like: jobs, homes even investments can understandably bring someone down. However, it appears Oswald is not addressing the burdened heart which has lost, rather the hopeless heart which can not see God in their circumstance.

For the pessimist, life is viewed as a stream of tragedies and loss: loss of innocence, loss of youth, loss of virginity, loss of freedom, loss of memory, loss of purpose, loss of faculties, etc. A bitter train of events, with a caboose of the dreaded loss of life. God is not part of their experience so they have no hope to anchor them.

The Christian takes this same stream of events and applies Jesus which reveals a wake of divine footprints. The knowledge Christ was, is and always will be, speaks hope into every sorrow. Consequently a heart swells with thankfulness and this results in praise. What are believers thankful for in the midst of great loss? The follower of Christ is ever aware that they deserve eternal death and separation from God for their sins. However, the gift of life in Jesus and the great joy of God's grace and adoption overshadows the temporary pains of this world. The promise of heaven's peace keeps our eyes focused on the prize of what is to come. This is what the believer's heart clings to in the storm which allows them to praise.

DIGGING DEEPER

Paul and Silas are amazing examples for the body of Christ. Beaten, chained and imprisoned as a result of their commitment to the gospel, they sit in a dark and dismal prison cell. Their bodies no doubt wracked with pain and sticky with blood. I imagine them sitting--on a dirt floor peppered with rodent feces--with their feet in stocks.

It's around midnight and while many would have laid their head down in despair, Paul and Silas tilt theirs back to sing hymns and pray. Though the stench of man and waste burn their bloodied and possibly broken noses, their thoughts are united in one thing: how great is their God.

When many would be blaming or at least questioning God regarding their suffering, Paul and Silas were drawing nearer to God Through praise. Their focus was not on themselves but their God. Likewise, their hearts were not down cast but inspired. Though everything about their circumstance seemed dismal and hopeless, they trusted the hand of God to be at work in their situation. They sang because they knew if God allowed this storm in their life, he had a purpose for it.

What gave these men the ability to endure the persecution and brutality of the world with praise in their heart? Oswald answers this question confidently. "One of the most amazing revelations of God comes to us when we learn that it is in the everyday things of life that we realize the magnificent deity of Jesus Christ."

Paul and Silas did not wait until the day of adversity to turn to God. Their hearts were bound to the Lord through prior day to day experience. In other words, the Lord was intimate with them in the "everyday things of life," and therefore established a foundation of trust and dependency a tornado would be unable to unearth: in Paul and Silas' case not even a violent earthquake,(Acts 16:26NIV).

So much could be said about this passage of scripture: the fact the Christians were awake in the dark and unafraid, while the jailer slept and woke terrified. How the other prisoners were listening to Paul and Silas. The word listening implies they were paying attention to what they were saying. Perhaps the earthquake was not brought about by God, but rather the prayers of righteous men of incredible faith. After all, the faith of a mustard seed can move a mountain.

Of all the points that can be made in this narration--and there are more--the witness of Paul and Silas to the prisoners and jailer stand out the most. For this is why the gospel is preached, to testify of the Lord Jesus Christ and bring others to salvation.

Two men shook the earth with their praise, hearts were moved and those bound by despair found their chains broken. Paul and Silas did not despair when life got stormy. They didn't cover their heads in ash and wail about the wind. No, Paul and Silas took note of the wind and spread their arms wide in praise. In so doing they soared upon the grace of God while those around them watched in awe.