Blessed be the name

I have had many great debate with various Christian friends about the song "Blessed Be The Name", specifically because of the Bridge portion which states:

     You give and take away

     You give and take away

     My heart will choose to say

     Lord, blessed be Your name

Those who advocate in favour tend to quote the book of Job 1:20-22:

²⁰ Then Job arose, and rent his mantle and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshiped and said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”  In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Others, who largely have no issue with other segments of the song feel this bridge misrepresents God; although most agree that God allows bad things to happen to us, it is not He who inflicts them.  After all, wasn't it Satan who inflicted Job?  God just let it happen.  Then could it be said that God took away His protection from Job?  Perhaps.  It's a complex confusing topic to say the least.

I have always been on the fence, but this summer has given me a slight lean.

I came to Selkirk at the start of the summer with great expectations.  In my mind I was going to champion the events of the YFC summer.  I had worked hard to get my back in good shape to conquer the long drive.  I was determined to be independent and look after myself.  And then I hurt my ankle.  This impacted me in more ways than I imagined.  

Humbly I was forced to rely on strangers for help on a daily basis.  It embarrassed me to ask friends I'd just met to take out my garbage or help me buy groceries.  I had to relinquish my plans to explore and enjoy my new home and just spend time resting.  I had to miss out on the YFC camping trips and feel at times as though I was inadequate in my job.

Finally last week - after three long months - the fractures in my ankle were pronounced healed.  AMEN!  Then today after a session of physiotherapy I was able to walk for the first time without a cast or crutches and just an ankle brace.  Oh the joy!  But even more so, the deep appreciation I felt for healing....the appreciation to everyone who helped me through this trying time.....the appreciation for the ability to do the things I was able to in spite of my limitations....the appreciation for the opportunities God granted me to feed into young people in spite of not being able to do all the activities - and sometimes because I was left behind.  I learned and grew far more this summer by having my ankle injured than I otherwise could have.  And no surprise, I've been here before when I hurt my back just a few years ago.

So, what's my point?  I don't know if we have a God who simply allowed my ankle to get hurt, or if He in fact set in motion the events that caused it to get hurt.  If it is the latter, so be it!  Because if so, He in His infinite love provided for my every need and used it for my own good.  Do we have a God that in fact "gives and takes away"?  I don't know.  But regardless, my heart will choose to say "Blessed Be Your Name"!  

Blessed Be Your Name - listen and be blessed!

Staying afloat

Growing up I was blessed to have an awesome 8' deep octagon shaped pool in my backyard. I spent countless summer hours with my brothers having canon-ball contests and splashing around in its depths. However that first summer I did not know how to swim! Someone had bought for me this Styrofoam floater devise to help me learn. In the shape of a tadpole it was meant to be strapped to your back and would keep you afloat while you learn the basic operations of how to maneuver your arms and kick your legs. However, I didn't like to use it in the way it was intended. You see, it scared me to be forced into such a horizontal position, my face so close to the water. So instead I would forgo the straps, cling to it on my belly and simply float around the pool.
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My dad didn't go into the pool often; he claimed that he had a "bone in his leg" and that the "water was too wet" for him. But on one occasion he was there and saw me misusing my little floating tadpole. Against my complaints he strapped it to my back and watched me flail about, fighting to keep my head up and my body vertical. I recall him grabbing hold of my arms, pressing them to my sides and saying "just take a deep breath and KICK!!!" I did as he asked (there was no arguing with dad) and found myself sailing across the pool in record time, my little legs acting as efficient little propellers. Thrilled with the results and anxious to improve them I soon was scooping my arms AND kicking my legs, mimicking the front crawl motion that I'd so often seen my brothers do. In the safety of the tadpole's harness I was swimming, and I was swimming FAST!

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The past couple of days I've been feeling completely overwhelmed...by school, by work, by my sinuses, by life in general. I felt like there was so much on my plate I couldn't possibly stay afloat through it all. I couldn't figure out how I was going to do all that I needed to do. But I came to a sudden realization that I had absolutely no need to worry and was reminded of what is written in Isaiah 40:28-31:

The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
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As long as we hope in the Lord, we need not worry about staying afloat. He's like my Styrofoam tadpole and will keep us afloat while we go about doing what we need to do. Putting your full trust in God is scary at first; He may put you in directions you weren't expecting; He may take you out of your comfort zone; your face just might get a little wet. But when you read these verses you know that it's worth taking the risk. And unlike my tadpole, God is not going to chip away and fall apart after a few years of use! He is an everlasting God who will not grow tired and weary. That means He won't grow tired and weary keeping me afloat....I just need to take a deep breath and KICK!

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You are my shield, my strength, my portion, deliverer, my shelter, strong tower, my ever present help in time of need! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McItEpwJofM&feature=fvst - listen and be blessed!