MAGNIFY THE LORD WITH ME!
In the months since the accident, I have been reminded of this phrase many times, sometimes in my head, sometimes in Scripture and in song. It’s like an arrow, shot from someplace in the highest heaven, piercing through the “Why’s”, “What if’s”, and “If only’s” straight into my mind and heart. It’s a call to worship from the one we love so much, who left us so suddenly on that day. “C’mon, MAGNIFY the LORD with me!” When I take a moment to listen, I can usually hear it over the confusion of my overthinking mind and my broken heart. And recently it spoke comfort to me in the darkness of night.
IMMANUEL
Last December as we prepared for the holidays it became apparent that my word for 2022 was Immanuel, God with us. It began resonating in my mind at Christmastime, and soon became a one word blessing that our church family spoke to one another in the New Year, as we shared our lives and prayer requests. God with us, Jesus our Savior, Immanuel! Our family, church family, Dan and I celebrated a beautiful Christmas, and a few months later, an especially warm and holy Easter.
GOD WAS PREPARING US
As I look back now, I am amazed how God is always growing us, preparing us, equipping us for whatever lies ahead. Opening my prayer journal to the entries I wrote the week before Easter, I see how even then God was blessing, drawing me close, filling me with his love. I devoted Tuesday that week to a dedicated time of prayer and fasting for our family. My journal entry for Thursday, 4/14/22 says, “Good morning, Lord. You are good. You are God. You are good at being good. Birds and flowers, trees and skies are hints of Your glory and goodness. Nearness to You is a foretaste of the essence of Heaven. I hope in You, Lord–Thank you for the hope of Heaven. My hope and trust is in You.” On 4/17/22, Easter Sunday, we celebrated the Resurrection with our church, and then enjoyed dinner and some family time with Laura, Michael and the grandchildren. Resurrection Day. Immanuel. A touch, a smile, sitting around the table eating a meal together. Easter baskets, chocolate, plans shared, siblings teasing each other, laughter. A precious memory. God was still with us.
THE BLESSINGS OF EASTER
And then, early on Monday morning, April 18th, the day of the accident, I wrote, “Lord, thank you for the blessings of Easter, when we remember afresh your death, burial, and resurrection. What a beautiful day of worship yesterday! Thank you for your great and unsearchable love. For Your victory over death. To you be the glory!”
God loving and preparing us. We had no idea what was about to happen.
THE UNTHINKABLE
Then later that day, around 1 pm, the unthinkable happened. A horrible accident. Our beautiful granddaughter was suddenly gone from this life. Our hearts were broken and gripped with grief and shock. Life changed forever. As we reeled in shock and sorrow, we struggled to continue to trust in God’s goodness while unanswerable questions burned their way into our minds and hearts.
Where was God that day? Why didn’t he prevent this? Where was His love and goodness? His protection?
IS GOD STILL GOOD?
Soon after her death, we learned that Elisia’s favorite song was called, “Taste and See”, which is based on Psalm 34. Over the following weeks, this song and passage provided some comfort to me. Elisia loved Jesus with all her heart, and desired to see Him. Tears flowed as I thought of her being in His presence right now. But there were flashbacks to that day. Fears, doubts, and great sadness.
“O Taste and see, that the Lord is good…” I found myself struggling with those words…even though I knew in my head that they were true. My heart was broken. Nothing seemed to be good.
Then late one night a few weeks ago, exhausted, I put in my earbuds, climbed into bed, and began listening to a Christian audio meditation called “Close to the Brokenhearted”. I didn’t hear much of the recorded message. I quickly fell into a deep sleep. But some time later I woke up suddenly. The meditation was still playing. Wide awake, my eyes still closed, I was hearing these words loud and clear,
“Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let’s exalt His name together…”
It was Psalm 34! As the narrator continued reading through the Psalm and I listened to the words, line by line, I could picture in detail the events of that day and how the LORD had fulfilled this Psalm right before my eyes. I cried in thanksgiving and praise to the One who was comforting me. I magnified the LORD with my own personal praise service, right there in my bed in the middle of the night.
I wrote it all down the next morning, and now I’d like to share the comforting message, a paraphrase of this Psalm. I am certain God gave this gift to me out of His love, for my comfort, but I don’t think it was for me alone. We all go through hard times, trials and sorrows. With our finite perspective and earth-bound knowledge most of it doesn’t make sense to us. I know God doesn’t owe us any explanations. But I do know God. He is good. He loves us, and I am trusting Him. His Words are Truth and His ways are perfect. I pray that this Psalm would comfort and encourage you as it blessed me.
A REMINDER OF GOD’S PRESENCE
Psalm 34
A Personal paraphrase
(unless otherwise noted, scripture quotes are from the esv version)
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!
Listen. Do you hear it? It’s Elisia’s voice calling to us,
“Magnify the Lord with me. Let’s exalt His name together!”
I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
Elisia sought the Lord, and he loved her and he answered her. and then he delivered her .
Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.
ELISIA closed her eyes to this world.
When she opened them again she was looking into the loving eyes of her Jesus.
And she was radiant.
In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; He saved me from all my troubles. (NLT)
This child cried out to God and he heard her and delivered her.
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them.
The Angel of the LORD set up camp in the field with the children that day.
He did not leave them alone.
And He delivered them.
O taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.
Yes, taste and see that the LORD IS STILL GOOD. He is our refuge.
He is near to us, and we are blessed.
The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and His ears toward their cry.
The Lord hears their cries and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The eyes of the Lord were fixed on His children in the field that day.
He leaned in to hear their cry and He delivered them.
He provided a cell signal, rescue workers, friends and neighbors.
Then He sent an eagle to make sure we would remember that He was there,
and that He was perfectly caring for THE CHILDREN.
Taste and see – the LORD IS [STILL] GOOD.
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
God is near. He is healing our broken hearts.
I can trust him.
Through this Psalm, in the middle of the night, God assured me that even in this horrible circumstance, Elisia was being perfectly cared for by the Savior she still loves. In Elisia’s last day on this earth, she was never alone. Jesus was with her that morning as she did her laundry, read her Bible, played with the puppy and practiced her ballet. He was with her as she and Joshua climbed onto the ATV and started down the hill into the field. He never left her side. That night the Lord assured me that, as she breathed her last breath on this earth, He delivered her from fear, pain, and trouble, He brought her home with him, and He did it perfectly out of His immeasurable, boundless and perfect love and kindness.
However He did it, I know it was perfect. Because His ways are perfect. (Psalm 18:30)
So today, I thank God for you, Elisia. I breathe for you, inhaling the fullness of God’s goodness and perfect love for you and for us. Exhaling my stubborn fear, worries and doubts.
Trusting Him for tomorrow, because He is the only One who can offer true comfort and strength.
Thanking Him for the cross. Death has been defeated. And we who trust in Jesus have the sure hope that we will see you again when we gather together with Him in the place He has prepared for us, where there will be no more sadness, pain, separation, and death.
Today we will magnify the Lord with you, and exalt His name forever.
You are with Jesus, Elisia, and He is right here with us. God with us. Emmanuel.
Thank you, Lord, for your comfort. We praise You. Your ways are perfect. We need your strength more than ever. May Your resurrection power be evident in our lives as we go on from here.
An eagle, a butterfly, cloudscapes, a sunbeam. All expressions of God’s love. The gift of life, children, this child. His Word. The promise of Heaven. God is with us, and He is STILL good.
“God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true.”
Psalm 18:30
“There is no fear in love. Perfect love casts out fear.”
1 John 4:18
“For the life of every living thing is in His hand, and the breath of every human being.”
Job 12:10
https://youtu.be/yOzf0VrDNGU
Magnify the Lord with me!
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