Praise for deliverance from trouble

Here's the reflection that was shared during a Service of the Word at St Andrew's Wickford this morning:

Psalm 34 is a psalm of praise for deliverance from trouble. It relates to a story about David before he became King of Israel. David has won many battles for King Saul, including defeating Goliath, but, as a result, Saul had become jealous of David and felt threatened by David’s popularity. As a result, David felt forced to flee from Saul.

In 1 Samuel 21.10-15 we read about David fleeing to King Achish of Gath hoping to find safety there. However, he finds that his reputation has preceded him. The servants of Achish recognise him and say, ‘Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands”?’ As a result, David was afraid that King Achish would also feel threatened by his presence in Gath or let Saul know where David was.

So, he changed his behaviour before them; he pretended to be mad when in their presence. He scratched marks on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle run down his beard. Achish said to his servants, ‘Look, you see the man is mad; why then have you brought him to me? Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?’ Achish then drives him out of Gath, and he is able to go away safely.

In Psalm 34, the Psalmist attributes David’s safety to God’s care. Looking back, the Psalmist says:

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him, and be radiant;
so your faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor soul cried, and was heard by the Lord,
and was saved from every trouble.
The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.”

As a result, the Psalmist encourages us to:

“taste and see that the Lord is good;
happy are those who take refuge in him.
 O fear the Lord, you his holy ones,
for those who fear him have no want.”

If we taste and see the goodness of the Lord know and learn the fear (or awe) of the Lord, then, when we are in trouble as David was, we will also seek the Lord and see him answer us delivering us from all our fears. As with David when he feigned madness, this may involve using our natural creativity to find an unusual way out of the difficulties in which we find ourselves.

So, let us do what the Psalmist commends and learn the fear of the Lord so that we will “bless the Lord at all times”, having his praise continually in our mouths. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the Fire - The Stranger.

Count your blessings

Here's the sermon I shared at St Andrew's Wickford this morning:

“When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”

Chris Fenner writes: “Sometimes in the Christian faith, the simplest tenets are the most memorable and enduring. The hymn “Count Your Blessings” was first published in a collection called Songs for Young People (1897), published for the Methodist Book Concern (the publishing arm of the Methodist Episcopal Church), and edited by E.O. Excell, a prolific hymnal editor and compiler. True to its intent as a song for youth, its message is simple and clear: The best way to fight discouragement is to look for the blessings of life.

Little is known about the circumstances of the composition of this hymn, other than what is known about the authors. E.O. Excell (1851–1921), the composer, ran a publishing business based out of Chicago, with a specialty for Sunday School materials. In 1897, he was also working in conjunction with revivalist Sam P. Jones (1847–1906) and toured with him across the United States and elsewhere. Johnson Oatman Jr. (1856–1922), the lyricist, was an ordained minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church and at the time was in the mercantile business with his father in Lumberton, New Jersey, as Johnson Oatman & Son. Oatman had started writing songs in 1892.

Biographer J.H. Hall later reported: But it remained for Prof. E.O. Excell to bring out in 1897 what, in the opinion of most critics, is said to be Mr. Oatman’s masterpiece. “Count Your Blessings,” like “No, Not One,” has gone all over the world. Like a beam of sunlight it has brightened up the dark places of earth. Perhaps no American hymn was ever received with such enthusiasm in England as “Count Your Blessings.” A London daily, in giving an account of a meeting presided over by Gypsy Smith, said, “Mr. Smith announced a hymn. ‘Let us sing “Count Your Blessings.”’ Said he, ‘Down in South London the men sing it, the boys whistle it, and the women rock their babies to sleep to the tune.’” [J.H. Hall, “Johnson Oatman Jr.” Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers (NY: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1914), p. 358.]"

"Growing up, Oatman realized that he would never be a great singer or preacher, but he eventually discovered his passion: hymn writing. He became a prolific writer and wrote over 5000 hymns throughout his lifetime. Most hymnals published today have at least one of his songs. Instead of being discouraged by his lack of musical oratory skills, Oatman found hope in his ability to write." "Perhaps the reason this song has been so universally included in hymnals is that it reminds discouraged Christians of the grace they have been given. It is often easy to take a negative view of life, but when we remember the things we have been given, we cannot deny that we are blessed."

That is also what the opening verses of Psalm 111 are designed to achieve (Psalm 111.1-5). They are headed up ‘Praise for God’s Wonderful Works’. The works of the Lord are great, full of honour and majesty, with his righteousness enduring forever. He is gracious and merciful, his deeds are wonderful as he provides food for those who fear him and is ever mindful of his covenant with us. As a result, we should study his works with delight and thanks and praise to Him with our whole hearts when we gather together, like this, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Psalm 111 essentially says study the wonderful works of God so you can count your blessings and give God the praise and thanks that are due to Him.

Our readings today give us more reasons to be thankful through the summary of our faith that St Paul shares with Timothy (1 Timothy 3.16). Paul says that “the mystery of our religion is great: He [Jesus] was revealed in flesh, vindicated in spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up in glory.” Paul shares the surprising revelation of Jesus as God in the world in order that Timothy and all those reading this letter give thanks to God for what we have received in and through Jesus. That is another way of or reason for counting our blessings.

By contrast, in our Gospel reading (Luke 7.31-35), Jesus speaks about people who complain whatever they receive. Jesus said that, of all those who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist, yet the people of which he speaks in today’s reading said he had a demon as he ate no bread and drank no wine. Of Jesus, God’s Son, their promised Messiah, they said he was “a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” These were cynics who were so attuned to criticism of others that they could not recognise a blessing when two were standing right before their eyes.

We are called to be those who recognise and count their blessings, especially when we gather together for worship as we are doing today.

“When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Guy Penrod - Count Your Blessings.

Start:Stop - 96 Sacraments

Start your day by stopping to reflect for 10 minutes. Every Tuesday morning there is a rolling programme of work-based reflections at St Stephen Walbrook (39 Walbrook, London EC4N 8BN). Every 15 minutes between 7.30am and 9.15am, a 10 minute session of reflection begins. These sessions include bible passages, meditations, music, prayers, readings and silence. Drop in on your way into work to start your day by stopping to reflect for 10 minutes.

Bible reading

‘… whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.’ Philippians 4. 8

Meditation

The artist Paul Thek once wrote 96 Sacraments in one of his notebooks. By doing so, he celebrated everything around him and everything that was present to him, especially the small and everyday things.

The things he celebrated can seem banal but, as our reading, suggests it is a godly thing to do to develop an attitude or habit of looking for the good in what is around us, the people we meet and the things we do. St Paul suggests that we go through life looking for what is true, honourable, just, pure, pleasing and commendable. He suggests this because he is confident that if we seek these things we will find them.

I wonder, therefore, whether our view of our day and those we are with would change at all if we were able to simply to say, like Paul Thek, ‘Praise the Lord’ in respect of each thing we do, each person we meet and each place we go to.

Prayer

Walk to work. Praise the Lord.
Greet the receptionist. Praise the Lord.
Get in the lift. Praise the Lord.
Acknowledge others in the lift. Praise the Lord.
Exit the lift. Praise the Lord.
Greet colleagues. Praise the Lord.
Find your desk. Praise the Lord.
Sit at your desk. Praise the Lord.
Turn on the computer. Praise the Lord.
Open emails. Praise the Lord.
Read emails. Praise the Lord.
Compose and send emails. Praise the Lord.
Answer the phone. Praise the Lord.
Attend meetings. Praise the Lord.
Begin tasks. Praise the Lord.
Complete tasks. Praise the Lord.

As we praise you, Lord, this morning,
We recognise that the world you created
contains much that is true, honourable, just,
pure, pleasing and commendable.
Keep us looking for these things
in the ordinariness of life
and praising you when they are found.
And may that blessing of God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Rest upon you and remain with you always.
Amen.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gungor - Doxology.