May 12 - 17, 2018
Worship: Braver Still by JJ Heller
[Verse 1]
I never saw it coming
There was no way to prepare
The world kept spinning 'round me
And left me standing there
[Pre-Chorus 1]
And it's okay to grieve
A life that could not be
I'm trying to believe
In something better
[Chorus 1]
Even if the dreams I had turned into dust
There's no wreckage that's too broken to rebuild
The world is just as scary as I thought it was
But Your love makes me braver still
Your love makes me braver
[Verse 2]
I spent my whole life running
Trying to find a place to rest
Why did it take a wound like this
To let You hold me to Your chest?
[Pre-Chorus 2]
Now I can hear You breathe
You're singing over me
You're making me believe
In something better
[Chorus 1]
Even if the dreams I had turned into dust
There's no wreckage that's too broken to rebuild
The world is just as scary as I thought it was
But Your love makes me braver still
Your love makes me braver...
[Bridge]
There is a valley
Where shadows are covering everything I hold dear
There in the darkness
I hear You whispering "I am here."
[Chorus 2]
Even if the dreams I had turned into dust
There's no wreckage that's too broken to rebuild
The world is just as scary as I thought it was
But Your love makes me braver still
Your love makes me braver still
Your love makes me braver
Video: https://youtu.be/blULd_EMdC0
Witness:
I was sitting at my desk eating and reading and deleting my e-mails when this song came on. As in the past, God has a way of getting my attention. Perhaps my unconscious self is attuned to hearing lyrics that are in tune with what I am going through at any given time. A song can be playing, and the words pass by my conscious self without really hearing them. Yet in the midst of a song my ears and my mind will latch on to something being sung. That is what happened tonight when this song started to play. Suddenly these particular lyrics flashed into my consciousness –
Why did it take a wound like this
To let You hold me to Your chest?
That was a searching and saddening question to me. I immediately Identified with it. So I looked up the lyrics, and the first verse catapulted me back to a time 3 years ago when my little world came crashing down on me. To a time when my wife took off in the middle of the night leaving behind broken hearts, broken dreams, and broken promises.
I never saw it coming
There was no way to prepare
The world kept spinning 'round me
And left me standing there
No, I never saw it coming. Yes, there had been inklings of the possibility, but I had closed my mind to such a prospect happening. Instead, I chose to believe that over time and the changes I was making, that things would be alright. And when that day came, the world did spin around and left me standing dumbfounded and hurting.
And I did grieve and grieve even to this day –
And it's okay to grieve
A life that could not be
I'm trying to believe
In something better
I know well the valley of deep darkness –
There is a valley
Where shadows are covering everything I hold dear
There in the darkness
I hear You whispering "I am here."
But in all this, I have this hope –
Even if the dreams I had turned into dust
There's no wreckage that's too broken to rebuild
The world is just as scary as I thought it was
But Your love makes me braver still
Your love makes me braver still
Your love makes me braver
And as my Savior and Shepherd holds me dearly to His chest –
Now I can hear You breathe
You're singing over me
You're making me believe
In something better
Ps 62:5-6
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
NIV
Ps 31:24
Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the Lord.
NIV
Josh 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
NIV
2 Cor 4:17
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
KJV
WORD:
Ps 27:7-10
7 Hear my voice when I call, O Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, "Seek his face!"
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.
NIV
|
Ps 27:7-10
7 Hear me as I pray, O Lord.
Be merciful and answer me!
8 My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me."
And my heart responds, "Lord, I am coming."
9 Do not turn your back on me.
Do not reject your servant in anger.
You have always been my helper.
Don't leave me now; don't abandon me,
O God of my salvation!
10 Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the Lord will hold me close.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.
|
Ps 27:7-10
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me and answer me.
8 When thou sadist, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.
9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.
KJV
|
Ps 27:7-10
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!
8 You have said, "Seek my face."
My heart says to you,
"Your face, Lord, do I seek."
9 Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the Lord will take me in.
ESV
|
The first six verses are a fitting foundation for the plea that follows. For these great declarations (vv 1-3) and this glorious desire (vv 4-6) bring David comfort, confidence, and commitment even in the anxious petitions that follow in verses 7-10. Furthermore, David not only relies on the God who is great and glorious but also on the God who is gracious (v 7) and grants us access into His royal presence (v8).
The desire that is born in his heart (v 8) issues forth in verbal prayer. Often in our private encounters with God we pray internally, but who has not when in times of anxiety or deep despair cried out in a loud voice for help to the Lord. Much of my praying in private is verbalized. I find it more intimate, and it keeps me more focused. It also reveals to me when my thoughts are confused and need refocusing.
Spurgeon says,
Psalms 27:7
The voice may be profitably used even in private prayer; for though it is unnecessary, it is often helpful, and aids in preventing distractions.
(from The Treasury of David, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
It is human to cry out. Do we not have an example of such action even in the only perfect human that ever lived (and still lives)?
Matt 27:46
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
NIV
Therefore, it is not a shame to cry out when we are in distress. Our faith is not a sham when we do this. It is faith calling out to the Faithful one. It is hope seeking help from the Helper. It’s the sheep bleating for its Shepherd. It is the child of God crying out to their Father when they are afraid.
Lord, when I am in deep despair
I call to You for Your tender care
When life to me makes no sense
And trials and fears grow intense
I cry out to You my hope and stay
For strength to cope amidst the fray
And You my God come to my aid
When I am lost and so afraid
You bind me closely to Your side
You are my shelter in which I hide
I see the dawn of grace appear
And faith rises up and conquers fear!
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