A song in the night

The Lord will send His loving-kindness in the day. 

And His song will be with me in the night, a prayer to the God of my life. 

(Psalm 42:8)

How would you describe the Lord's 'loving-kindness' in your life? As a kid, I would have described it as the nice home I lived in, the neat toys I had, or even the super-speedy bike I rode. As a young adult, I would maybe have thought about the ways God provides for my needs such as a good job, food on the table, and freedom from disease or injury. As an older adult, I now look back over my life and begin to recount the loving-kindness of God in a much different manner. I'd have to say it was known in the embrace of a loving father, the gentle hand hold of a dedicated mother, and the warm hugs from a close friend. It is the 'thank you's' from you kids and grand-kids when you just shared a good meal, or the happy look on your grandson's face when he was the first one to catch the fish on that day outing. Loving-kindness has many forms, doesn't it? Depending on the 'phase' of life you are in, the loving-kindness of God may be felt in different ways, but one thing remains true throughout - his loving-kindness never leaves us short of knowing his presence is with us in all things!

Daytime is probably the easiest for some because we have distractions that keep our mind off of our worries a little. At night, our worries are able to find an easy 'inroad' into our minds because we have less distractions and our thoughts can be carried away quite easily. God doesn't leave us alone in those thoughts, though. He comes to us in the song of worship and praise we might lift to him. I often awake in the dead of night, finding I am rehearsing a particular line from a song over and over in my thoughts. I don't do it purposefully, it is just 'happening' without my conscious thought. How does that happen? I think it is perhaps God working in our subconscious to bring forth that very reminder we needed to help us settle our thoughts and return to our slumber once again. It isn't even the whole song I am rehearsing - it is one or two lines at the most - over and over again. Does that ever happen to you? If it does, maybe it is God reminding you of some way he is intervening in your life, or reminding you he is in control over your worries. His song becomes a prayer to him - perhaps because the Holy Spirit is prompting that prayer, but at other times because our mind and heart needs to just unburden and sing it forth. It may be 'conscious', or it may be in the 'subconscious', but the effect is the same - God is reminding us of who is in control. 

What song are you singing right now? What loving-kindness of God are you most aware of today? These aren't simply questions for you to gloss over. They are challenges to stop for just a moment to consider your song and his blessings. Then let God know you are ever so grateful for both! Just sayin!