Sometimes it feels like there’s an ongoing battle between joy and sorrow in our life. Sometimes it feels like joy is winning. Sometimes sorrow takes the upper hand. And sometimes they exist simultaneously, making you wonder how you could feel such joy when your circumstances still speak of sorrow. And then hope arrives. Some inexplicable spark of it whispers that your sorrow won’t last forever, that even if the sorrow endures for longer than you feel you can bear, you will still be OK, because suddenly, you realize you’re not alone. And then that hope grows stronger and somehow, someway, you find that joy, sorrow, and hope can all be present at the same time.               

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Outpourings of the Heart #6

By John Fulton

God my God greatly to be praised in all the earth,

I have cried out to You –

                Cried out in anguish and sorrow;

                Cried out as a woman in childbirth;

                Cried out as a father whose child is no more.

I have laid bare my soul to You –

                You who are the only solid rock;

                You who hear the cry of the afflicted and hear not the cry of the haughty, those filled with pride from the work of their hands;

                You who save those who seek You and leave them not in the clutches of the devourer.

God my God greatly to be praised in all the earth,

I have cried out to You in my distress –

                Cried out to You in my loneliness;

                Cried out to You from my place of fear;

                Cried out to You in hope you would reply.

-Selah-

God my God greatly to be praised in all the earth,

I have cried out to You –

                To You who are not far off from the humble;

                To You who are not far off from the weary;

                To You who are not far off from those burdened by deep sorrow and grief inexpressible.

I have cried out to You and You have heard my cry –

                You have not abandoned me to sorrow and decay;

                You have not been ashamed to call me son.

You have lifted me up and filled my heart with gladness that gushes forth as the storm cloud heavy laden with too much rain.

I am filled to overflowing with the knowledge You have heard my cry and will fulfill the desires of my heart in the fullness of Your time.

I will declare Your righteousness and goodness to the masses.

Surely, I cannot contain the joy You have placed in my heart. It bursts forth like a racehorse upon the opening of the gate.

God my God greatly to be praised in all the earth,

I have called out to You in my torment –

                You have not abandoned me to death;

                You have not forsaken me to grief;

                You have declared to me, I have heard your cry; I have seen your affliction; I have seen your enemies surround you as a pack of wolves, and I know their plans – plans to murder, plans to destroy, plans to bring you harm.

-Selah-

God my God greatly to be praised in all the earth,

I have cried out to You –

                Cried out to You for guidance;

                Cried out to You to ask why, why is this happening;

                Cried out to You for relief, for purpose, for direction.

You have filled me with peace, O’ My God.

You have filled me with joy, O’ Most High.

You have filled my mouth with songs of praise, O’ Blessed One.

You have declared to me that You have heard my cry; You will answer when the time is right.

You have seen the plans of my enemies – they will come to nothing.

You will avenge Your holy one;

You will pour out Your wrath upon them and crush them beneath Your foot as a man crushes a tiny ant beneath his foot.

You have seen the desires of my heart.

You know my longing to serve You.

You know my desire to teach Your ways –  

— To preach You to those who long to know You;

–To proclaim Your greatness to the ends of the earth.

You know these things, for You knitted them into the fabric of my heart before You spoke creation into being.

You created me for this time and for this purpose, and nothing on earth or the highest heaven shall prevail against Your plan.

You have declared and so it shall be.

God my God greatly to be praised in all the earth,

I have cried out to You, and You have answered my cry.

My joy spills forth like rushing waters over a waterfall.

You have spoken; You have answered my cry; You will lift me up and fulfill the desires You placed in my heart.

I will rejoice and be glad in the sureness that You have spoken, and so it is.

-Selah-

God my God greatly to be praised in all the earth,

I have cried out to You, and You have heard my voice.

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* Image by Myriam Zilles from Pixabay