Matt Redman’s 2002 worship hit “Blessed be Your Name” is a song that many of us know. If you’re not familiar with it, the chorus simply says this: “Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be your name. Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be your glorious name.” Sounds simple, right?
If you take a few minutes to listen through the lyrics, you’ll quickly see that the song is much more than a simple chorus. It’s a declaration that we will bless the name of the Lord whether the sun is shining down on us, or if we have found ourselves in a desert place, or even on a road that’s marked with suffering.
To me, this song is a representation of Job chapters 1 and 2. Job was “blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil” (v.1). Job was blessed by God with many things, like many of us are. We see in verses 7-12 the conversation that God has with Satan regarding Job, and God points out that there is no one else on earth like him. God knew that no matter what Job endured, he would bless the name of the Lord.
So God allows Satan to take everything from Job, except his life. And sure enough, Job praises the name of the Lord. Similar to the Matt Redman song, Job cries out “the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away”.
I would be willing to bet that we have all endured our share of suffering, or may even be going through it right now. Can you say “Blessed be the name of the Lord” through it? You see, suffering is a result of the fall and we will all have to endure it.
But we are never alone.
We can endure with the one who will never leave us and who is making all things right. We have hope in and through our suffering with Jesus.
Blessings.
VC Devotionals 