It seems as you get older, not that I am, you hear about or experience more tragedies, suffering, pain, and disease. It is disconcerting. It is heart-wrenching. These occurrences implore us to cry out to God. “God please do something. Demonstrate to the world your power, sovereignty and justice.” We also long for heaven.
Kelly Kapic, a professor at Covenant College, writes a theological meditational on pain and suffering in his book titled Embodied Hope. His wife has constant pain in her hands and feet that has not eased through the years; in fact it’s getting worse. He writes honestly that it appears God doesn’t seem to be singing over us. Is He rejoicing over us as the bridegroom does over his bride as it says in Isaiah 62:5? These circumstances can lead us to hard or wrong thoughts about God.
Psalm 42 and 43 are songs of lament. We can certainly identify with these Psalms. Kapic writes, “The Bible repeatedly affirms lament to be an honest and expected expression of our battle with the brokenness of ourselves and the rest of the world. To have healthy fellowship with God we must be honest and realistic about our circumstances and our reactions to them.” Out of this honesty we ask deep questions, face the darkness, voice our frustrations, and wonder about unfulfilled promises – at least by our interpretation.
Yet in the midst of these two Psalms we read repeatedly, “Hope in God: for I shall again praise Him …” And in Psalm 42:8 it says, “By day the Lord commands His steadfast love, and at night His song is with me …” Yes, He does rejoice over me. He does love me immeasurably. He has my best and His glory always in mind.
This has been an amazing time in our ministry. Over this last week and with the upcoming Birmingham breakfast, we will have the greatest attendance combined in all our cities than ever before in our history. We had 300 men attend our banquet in Huntsville last Thursday. We had 275 men attend our lunch banquet in Jackson. Plus we had 235 women attend our WBL luncheon last Friday.
The women’s luncheon was the culmination of 20+ years of prayers and planning, 3 1/2 years of work, and God’s timing. We have seen God launch 8 location studies at different businesses, we have begun to get the word out that there is a place for women in business to gather, and we have seen men in YBL provide support and help WBL. It is their desire is to see women have their own small groups, accountability, evangelistic opportunities, and camaraderie like YBL. These factors have produced an incredible result.
Please pray and thank God with us for His faithfulness to this ministry. Thank you for your significant part in it. Pray that we would be good stewards of all the men and women with whom He has entrusted us: to see them come to know Christ or go further in their relationship with Him.
Remember our God is singing over us. It is a beautiful and mysterious melody!