West Cocoa Chat

First, let me welcome Patrick Mead to our "blog church." Patrick ministers to a church in Michigan. Perhaps as a Floridian I should offer my condolences to my fellow Brother in Michigan. Go Gators. Yes, I’m a Nole but I’ll support the Gators to carry the flag for our great State.

Have you ever wondered (or worried) that God was getting you ready for a challenge in your life by giving you the same lesson of life, over and over again? This thought crossed my mind following our services today. In my previous post I wrote about one of our sisters sharing a lesson on peace with me. The Lord brought that lesson to me again today.

We had been praying for a couple at our church that just lost one of their two Grandchildren to a tragic car accident at the age of 21. Their Grandson lived up north so they had been away for a few days while he hung on to life following the accident but eventually he passed away. I spoke to the Grandma with the intent (once again) to encourage and share my condolences.

To my surprise she was almost “radiant” if you can use that word in the context of grief. This sweet sister told me that while her and her husband had been with their family she felt a strange “peace.” She said she knew people from our church were lifting them up in prayer and she said at times she could almost feel the arms of Jesus wrapping around her. Then she said something that I’ve rarely heard said with such enthusiasm, especially in the context of grief. She smiled and said, “We are so fortunate to have such a loving and caring church.”

Then she shared with me that her daughter who had never been baptized into Christ, was in services today and had decided to put Christ on in baptism. Praise God! I know I’ve over used this phrase today so just bare with me; in the context of grief, joy and life were bursting forth. I felt like such a student in the presence of this dear sister.

As I was driving home listening to our local Contemporary Christian station, the Tree63 song, “Blessed Be Your Name” was playing. These lyrics will take on new meaning for me:

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

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

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name