Friday morning, Mustard Seeds’ staff worship, prayer and study time. As we sang songs from the songbook we’ve compiled over the years, Angie requested “Blessed be Your Name” (by Matt Redman). Sitting next to me on the settee, she leaned over and said she thought of this song as she was praying for Peter and Chelsea. Angie is very concerned for this couple and what they are going through with their as yet unborn baby, nicknamed Heavy. I had just sent an email reply to them the other day, encouraging them in their struggle. They are not alone, and not just because so many are praying for them, lightening their burden in unseen ways, but because we all have to go through “dark valleys” at some point or points in our lives, and those who have gone before us, whether yet living or not, can teach us much about struggle and faith… and the light beyond the dark valley. We only need look at their lives; they will reflect this song.

Blessed be Your Name in the land that is plentiful

Where your streams of abundance flow,

Blessed be Your Name.

And Blessed be Your Name, when I’m found in the desert place,

When I walk through the wilderness,

Blessed be Your Name.

Chorus:

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.

You give and take away, You give and take away,

My heart will choose to say, Blessed be Your Name.

(repeat)

I can never seem to get through that song without tears choking me silent. I have had a wonderful life, but not without suffering, fear and pain. I know, however, others have suffered so much more, to my thinking, in ways I have not. Yet our common reference point, for those of us who trust in the living God, is His grace and Presence. For those who have gone through a dark valley, and have come out into the light, they know one gets to that light by living the song, by offering the sacrifice of praise to God in the midst of pain and suffering. Because we have hope, hope in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

When my dad died I thought of him in the presence of God, having gone on before us (I always have a tinge of longing to be there too), and of all the things he was learning. How much he will be able to tell us when we get there!

Though we don’t know the “days” marked out for baby Heavy by his heavenly Father, we are pretty sure his life will be much shorter than most. Yet as I think about him, I again think of Heavy going before us, and the things he will learn from our Lord. How precious he is to the God who loved us all so much He sacrificed His son for us. How our Father will welcome this little person to His bosom! What will He teach him? What will Heavy be able to teach his family when they arrive? It is awe inspiring to me to think about it.

Baby Heavy, for whom yesterday was to be his birthing day, though he must go through a dark valley too, and will not even know to “live the song”, will soon be running and jumping and praising God, in fields of light; the Presence of the true and only God.

And through their tears his loved ones, by faith, will rejoice with him, looking to the time when we all will join him running and jumping and praising God in His Presence.