Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – October 28, 2016
And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. Revelation 14:3
As I recovered from cancer treatment a few years ago, I found the physical discomfort to be excruciating. I asked my wife Rita for the pain medication. I also asked her to hold me and play the worship song “How He Loves Us.” We sat together embracing each another as we praised and worshipped God. The phrase in the song, “My afflictions are eclipsed by His glory” became very real in my painful condition. In the middle of our little worship service, I felt a whole lot of my heavenly Father’s love. Praising God in our pain releases His reassuring refrain, “I love you.”
During the intense pain of intimidation—the Beast used fearful manipulation by marking those who bowed to his economic threats (13:16-18)—but the 144,000 new followers of Jesus learned to sing a new song of praise to their Savior and Lord. Contrary to the beast they were marked by their Father and the Lamb, thus these blameless believers were compelled to heartfelt worship.
“But as for me, afflicted and in pain—may your salvation, God, protect me. I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving” (Psalm 69:29-30).
God’s grace gives us the ability to praise and thank Him in the middle of our most severe afflictions. Our praise perspective sees and receives the Lord’s love above our adversity. We may have encountered unjust treatment, but we know the Just One is in control. Our Savior Jesus who allows us to be confined is the same Savior who sends an earthquake to set us free. When we praise the Lord in our pain we gain His peace. Hymns sung to God draw us closer to Him.
Our painful points may include: rejection, loneliness, financial stress, guilt over the past, fear of the future, chronic caregiving, marital strife or a friend who let you down. Ask the Lord to help you be emboldened not embittered in your faith, as you journey with Jesus through trials. God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). Praise God in your pain and you will give glory to His fame. Praise sets you free to serve in the Spirit’s strength. Pray not to be pain free, but to be set free in your pain.
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him” (Psalm 28:7).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, in my pain I praise You and I lean into Your love and comfort.Application
When we praise the Lord in our pain we gain His peace. Hymns sung to God draw us closer to Him.Related Reading
Psalm 112:7; Isaiah 26:3; James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-5; 1 Peter 4:13Post/Tweet today
Even when we encountered unjust treatment, we know the Just One is in control. #WisdomHunters #praiseinpainWorship Resource
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