Midnight Praise

Saturday 1/28/2012 4:21 AM

Yesterday morning I went for my daily run at about 10:30, later than my usual pre-dawn time.  At that time of the day there was much more traffic with which to deal and there were many people walking on the sidewalks and out working in their yards.  I listened to my iPod as I ran but I greeted those I met with a friendly good morning as I ran past.  When I ran past the Norwalk Sheriff’s Station there were two men weeding the flowerbed who were dressed in yellow Los Angeles County Jail jumpsuits.  I appreciate well-tended gardens and I crossed the street to thank them for their work in making things look so nice.  As I started to speak I suddenly realized that they might be working to fulfill some sort of community service requirement rather than working because they wanted to, so I said something to the effect of, “Maybe you don’t have a choice in doing this job but I really appreciate your efforts and want to thank you for making things look so nice.”  They mumbled a polite “Thank you, sir” and I continued on my way.

Less than half a block away the song on my iPod changed to I Bless Your Name by Selah, which begins with the words “in prisoners chains.”  I noted the coincidence of hearing about prisoners chains on my iPod after just speaking with prisoners and began listening carefully to the lyrics to see if there would be any other coincidences.  The second verse of the song spoke clearly to me.  “Some midnight hour if you should find you’re in a prison in your mind; reach out and praise, defy those chains, and they will fall in Jesus’ name.”

I have been going through a period of darkness in my mind lately, imprisoned by frustration and a sense of purposelessness.  I have definitely not been praising God.  Instead, I’ve been shaking my fist at God in anger, demanding answers while hearing nothing but sounds of silence.  It seems that the chains that hold my mind get stronger when I lash out in anger and bitterness.  When I heard the song lyrics the Spirit brought the words of Job 13:15 to my mind, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him.”  If Job could praise God in his circumstances I should be able to do so in mine.

Ironically the words to the song by Selah were meaningful to me in a different way just a few years ago.  I wrote these words on May 25, 2009, the Monday morning after Emily graduated from college, “Yesterday I was overwhelmed by God’s goodness at the end of my devotional time.  Seeing how God has provided for me and for my family over the years filled me with a great sense of gratitude and began to weep uncontrollably as I listened to the song I Bless Your Name by Selah.  “I bless your name, I bless your name.  I give you honor, give you praise.  You are the life, the truth, the way.  I bless your name, I bless your name.””  Who knows, someday maybe I’ll learn to praise God not only at noontime, when God’s love is shining brightly for me to see, but also in my midnight hours.