Blessed Be The Name

In my previous post I asked the questions Why is it that we only refer to God as good when things are going well, or when God blesses us in some sort of way? Is not God good all the time? After a good discussion with my wife, Robin on this I have had some further thoughts.

To declare God's goodness in times of great trial is a very difficult thing to do. It is an easy thing when life is going well. It has been my experience though, that when I can declare God's goodness and remain faithful to Him in the darkest of times that I experience His greatest blessings!

Job, a man that experienced great trial and tribulation, certainly experienced this. I love his statement in Job 1:21, "...The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD." We must be in the habit of blessing His name even in the darkest of times. Job did this and he experienced blessing beyond what he could imagine!

"...the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the LORD had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first..."
(Job 42:10-12)

Do we only bless His name and declare His goodness in difficult times so that we experience His blessing though? No. We do it because He is indeed good!

I really appreciate the Matt Redman song, Blessed By Your Name. It is a great worship song; a song that if we are honest, is difficult to sing at times. I believe it captures well what God desires of us.

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

Thank you God for your goodness!