Praise Him Still

"The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God..." Acts 16:22-25

Tonight, at an InterVarsity meeting, the mime team performed this story of Paul and Silas in prison and the background music echoed the words, "I will praise the Lord, no matter what tomorrow brings or what life has in store..." And the story struck me deeply. After being beaten and mocked and thrown in prison, these men were praising God! It also reminded me of a quotation by Margaret Clarkson:

"The sovereignty of God is the one impregnable rock to which the suffering human heart must cling. The circumstances surrounding our lives are no accident: they may be the work of evil, but that evil is held firmly within the might hand of our Sovereign Lord...All evil is subject to him, and evil cannot touch his children unless he permits it. God is the Lord of human history and of the personal history of each member of his redeemed family."

God is not the author of evil, and yet he holds dominion over all things. And he has extended his gracious love to us, not only in drawing us to him that we might in the future live in his kingdom, but he is now active in every part of our lives. "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) Christ is are only reason, our only truth, our only strength. "Why are you downcast, O my soul, why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God for I wil yet praise him, my Saviour and my God!" (Psalm 42:11)

I will praise Him, still
By Fernando Ortega

When the morning falls on the farthest hill
I will sing His Name, I will praise Him still

When dark trials come, and my heart is filled
with the weight of doubt, I will praise Him still

For the Lord our God, He is strong to save
from the arms of death, from the deepest grave

And He gave us life in His Perfect Will
I will sing His Name, I will praise Him still.