𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘰𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴.𝘤𝘰𝘮, 𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝟷4 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝟹-𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧 …

Paul and Silas, beaten and bloody, chained in a dungeon, singing praise in the dark of night.

Jonah, waterlogged and hopeless, humbled and doomed, worshiping GOD from the depths of a fish.

Job, bereft of everyone and everything he held dear, clinging to the last breath of earthly life, confidently proclaiming, “though He slay me, yet will I trust Him!”

Hannah and Mary, one woman grieving a long-empty womb, the other carrying with joy the Promise fulfilled, but also bearing the onslaught of hurtful accusations and a nearly cancelled wedding, both lifting their hearts to magnify the LORD.

How does this happen? What reality carries our souls beyond the unthinkable challenges and losses we face to a place of worship-filled praise? What brings a song from our lips in the thickest darkness? What depth of beauty from ashes do those songs convey?

As those anthems swell, is there any better way we can touch the heart of GOD? From the depths of our own sorrow, we have this unique opportunity to honor Him with our sacrifices of praise.

When in an earthly sense we feel drained, empty, holding nothing, yet we confidently proclaim that He is still everything. When we are lost in the swirl of grief, overwhelmed and drowning, yet we find a moment of stable clarity, a solid place to stand on the unchanging reality of who GOD is and our voice grows stronger as we lift the Name of the LORD high with conviction.

We may still wrestle hard questions. We may still grieve, But what a gift in return we receive when we acknowledge He is still GOD. He is still on the throne. He is still righteous and holy and worthy of our worship. He is still good. His ways are still exact and eternally purposeful. He is worthy of our trust and our praise!

When we choose to lift our gaze from our loss to His glory, we honor the LORD.

Though the fig trees may not blossom,

nor fruit be on the vines,

the produce of the olive fails,

and the fields lie empty and barren,

though the flocks be cut off from the fold,

and there be no herd in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the LORD!

I will take joy in the GOD of my salvation.

My health may fail,

and my spirit may grow weak,

but GOD remains the strength of my heart.

He is mine forever.

Let us offer through JESUS a continual sacrifice of praise to GOD, the fruit of our lips, proclaiming our allegiance and giving thanks to His Name.

Habakkuk 3:16-19 . Psalm 73:25-26 . Hebrews 13:15