Won’t you join me in prayer and praise today?

Last week’s news of the deadly floods in Texas has touched us all. As we see and hear the stories of loss and grief, survival and rescue, we can’t help but turn to Jesus, can we? To express our sadness, ask our “why” questions and in the next breath of prayer, anchor ourselves in real hope because of God’s great promises to us—the same promises that were given to every one of the souls that are now in His perfect presence.  

The surviving young girls from Camp Mystic have truly given us an example of what to do in our times of trial and suffering. They have praised their way, literally, out of the storm. If you’ve not seen the videos of the campers singing “Sanctuary” on the bus as it drove away from the devastation, consider looking them up. Consider weeping with those who weep, and mourning with those who mourn and as those campers would show us, praising with those who praise.

And then join them in pressing into the Lord. In offering a sacrifice. Praising God in our doubts, in our pain, in our despair and in our crying is just that—a sacrifice. It softens our hearts to what He’s doing that we’re not able to understand. It humbles us so that He can mold us more into His image. And praising into the pain points our eyes upward, giving us the strength to make it just one more minute, which turns into the next hour, day, week, month.

Pray with me: Thank You, Lord, for prompting those precious young girls to praise you in the unimaginable heartbreak that they have experienced. Be with them in their loss. Bless them for their faith to press into You in their pain. Oh, God of all comfort, release your love, mercy, grace and strength upon each person and family affected by this devastation. Amen.

Praise with me: I’ve searched “Sanctuary” and added it to my worship listening list.  You can find it here.  It occurred to me that this song was very likely a part of the camp experience that week, and that all the campers had been learning and singing the words prior to the floods. It was right on their tongues. Let us not miss what God was doing in those lyrics:

Sanctuary[i]

Author(s): John W. Thompson and Randy Scruggs

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living
Sanctuary for You

It is you, Lord
Who came to save
The heart and soul
Of every man
It is you Lord
who knows my weakness
Who gives me strength,
With thine own hand.

Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and Holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving I’ll be a living
Sanctuary for you

Lead Me on Lord
From temptation
Purify me
From within
Fill my heart with
Your holy spirit
Take away all my sin

Lord prepare me to be sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living
Sanctuary for You

Copyright:  1982 Full Armor Publishing Company (Admin. by peermusic), Whole Armor Publishing Company (Admin. by peermusic)

My fellow readers . . . Believers are a dwelling place for Christ. He is our home, both here on earth and in heaven. He is faithful to save, faithful to prepare us for and comfort us in the pain, faithful to give us what we need when we need it, and faithful to bring us safely into His arms for all eternity.

Let all who are walking through heartbreak, Lord, lean into You this very day. And let us learn to pray and praise You in the pain. For You alone are worthy of such a sacrifice. You are our comfort. You are our peace. You are our hope. Amen.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” ~ Romans 15:13

---

[i] (Sanctuary, n.d.) Retrieved from Word to Worship: https://wordtoworship.com/song/55 .