There is Something about Worship

The Cafe is thrilled to welcome Robin Lambright today!

There are times when it is easy to be witty and share about a lost coffee scoop, then there are moments when life is so real, so clear and God’s plan for how things are supposed to work is so very apparent. Even when things don’t seem to go the way I think they should God has an amazing way in showing me that even in sadness and heartbreak there is great hope.

I think Sunday mornings are my favorite day of the week. The expectation of coming together in the house of the Lord, the anticipation of a shared experience, the deep soul thirsty feeling that gets satiated with the lifting up of hands and the bending of a knee.

Having the word of God opened up and delivered in a unique way.

A song that touches a tender place with in my heart.

In worship this morning, as it happens quite often these days I am moved to tears as the music washes over me. Part of my emotional response is simply a filling up of how amazing my God truly is and the other part is a deep desire to see my prayers fulfilled, only to know that certain things I pray for each and every day remain the same. I have to wonder exactly what it is about the power of the human voice, a melody and lyrics have that can touch my heart in a tender and meaningful way.

The turn of a phrase set to music can evoke feelings and then those feelings will well up and the outpouring burst’s forth.

“Somebody’s Praying Me Through” these words filled the sanctuary sung by an amazing voice, a true gift of God to our congregation. I have heard this person sing this song before however on this morning it hit me in a new way that struck a fresh cord with in me. I could try to hold back but the safety, the comfort, the protection all of these things provide for me a safe zone for which all the reserve, the stiff upper lip approach I have is melted away. When I am in worship I can truly allow myself to weep before the Lord.

The lyrics of this song hit me in a couple of very profound ways, as the reality of my daily prayers for my son seem to pile up in a giant heap, I wonder why they seem to go unanswered. Yet I know that even though my prayers may seem to be unanswered, I know that they are not unheard. I know that God hears all prayers and that I have to continue to remember that my thoughts are not His thought nor are His ways my ways (ISA 55:8). I have to remember that there is always a reason why and when God chooses to act or to remain silent in any given situation.

My sweet friend and associate pastor so wisely reminded us all in the sermon that even Christ in his anguish over his approaching death wept bitterly and pleaded with His heavenly father in prayer for the cup to be removed from his hands (MK 14:36). Yet in that same sentence yielding his life over to his fathers will.

As a mother I confess that what I want is for “my will” to be done, yet I have to recognize that what is more important is a yielding over to His perfect and pleasing will.

The knowledge that I am a praying mother, this means that I am praying for my son, praying him through on a daily basis. At times it feels like an overwhelming task. The mountain of prayers seems to high or impossible, but when I am overwhelmed and feeling as if my prayers simply are not working the “Somebody’s Praying Me Through” transforms and the sisters I love let me know that while my heart is breaking for my son, they are praying me though.

It is one of those wonderfully circular moments. I’m praying him through as someone is praying me through.

The scripture lesson for the sermon was Psalm 103, it reminds me to continue to praise the Lord even in my inner most being, it speaks of not forgetting how great, merciful and compassionate my God truly is.

My prayer feels like a double edges sword at times. One edge is painful and bitter as it cuts through a mother’s heart. The other edge is a soft and soothing healing balm as the prayers of those who love me come in after the deep and painful cut has been rendered. They, my sweet sisters, wrap there loving arms around me and tell me that it will be all right. I still have to experience the pain and the sadness but I know that as I pray for my son whom I love with out reservation, that when my burden gets to heavy or I fail to see over the huge pile of seemingly unanswered prayers that there is someone one holding the lamp for me, someone praying me through and eventually it will be all right.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I praise you for you are the God of all compassion, you never cease to hear my prayers. You faithfully provide all things for those who trust in you. Lord I humbly seek your strength in those moments when I am weak, for when I am weak you are strong. I praise you for sending those who faithfully lift me up and give me the strength to continue to pray. When I am praying for those that I love I know that you have provided for me my sisters in Christ who are praying me though as well.

In Your Most Holy and Perfect Name

Amen

How do you experience God during worship?

How do you approach your prayer time, especially if you are experiencing periods of feeling like your prayers are not being answered in what you consider to be a timely fashion?

Have you fully accepted the fact that God’s timing is perfect and as believers we must remain faithful and continue to pray even when there seems to be no apparent change in the situation we are praying for?

Blessings,

Robin

www.rlambright.blogspot.com

Robin Lambright lives in the Georgia, she is a wife of 26 years and the mother of two teenage children. She is active in her congregation, and she heads up the prayer ministry for her church. She is a retired Stephen Minister as well as a member of the Emmaus Community in the North Georgia area. She has a deep desire to grow in her relationship with Christ each and every day in her role as wife, mother and sister in Christ with fellow believers.

Somebody’s Praying Me Through

ALLEN ASBURY

Pressing over me like a big blue sky
I know someone has me on their heart tonight
That's why I know it's gonna be alright
'Cause somebody's praying me through
Somebody's praying me through

It may be my Mother, it might be my Dad
Or an old friend I've forgot I had
But whoever it is I'm so glad that
Somebody's praying me through
Somebody's praying me through